The vice presidency of human resources and vice presidency of diversity, equity and inclusion will combine into one office, Kent State President Todd Diacon announced Wednesday.Diacon made the announcement to more than 400 faculty and staff attending his monthly online “Talking with Todd” session – the first of the fall 2023 semester.

The decision, which Diacon said he initially planned to spend the semester gathering information on before making a commitment, comes two weeks after Interim Vice President for Human Resources Tiffany Murray announced her resignation. Murray, who served 18 months in the position, leaves her post Friday. On Monday, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Amoaba Gooden will assume the new combined position. 

“I thought we had an opportunity to start focusing more on culture – building a culture of belonging, building a culture of access, building a culture of equity,” Diacon said. “As I thought about this work, I thought well, with Dr. Gooden we have really a nationally, literally a nationally recognized leader.”

The new office, which has yet to be named, will combine staff from the two departments. Diacon stressed that this was not a cost-cutting effort, and that the university may bring additional staff on board to the understaffed human resources department.

The decision comes as recent bills in the Ohio legislature have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at public universities. Ohio Senate Bill 83, which passed the senate, would “prohibit any mandatory programs or training courses regarding diversity, equity and inclusion” in state institutions of higher education unless the institution receives an exemption.

Diacon said that Ohio Senate Bill 83 did not influence his decision.

“Am I ignoring the rhetoric that I see and that I’m faced with every time I go to Columbus? I’m not ignoring that,” he said. “What is important is the work, and the work is creating an equitable, supportive, accessible institution where regardless of your background, you can come here and you can be supported in a way that’s appropriate to your situation.”

Gooden will spend the next several months analyzing how the new office will run, including office location and staff operation.

Diacon also covered increased enrollment and the university budget in the session. The highest number of international students have registered with the university since 2017, and the 2023 fall semester is the first time since 2012 that there are more students on the Kent campus than in the previous spring semester. 

More than 4,200 students make up the freshman class, Diacon said.

Despite increasing enrollment, he said the university faces a challenge with its biennial budget, which he described as “not good.” The university’s state subsidy will increase by 1% this year and 1.2% next year following a $20 million reduction in spending to balance its budget.

Diacon welcomed the increased enrollment as a positive sign for avoiding cost-cutting measures in the future. 

“We just need to continue to sustain that work,” he said.

Alton Northup is a staff reporter. Contact him at [email protected].