SU closes Office of Diversity and Inclusion, opens People and Culture
Syracuse University will close its Office of Diversity, replacing it with a new unit focused on People and Culture. That unit will operate within the Office of Human Resources, according to a campus-wide email sent Thursday. Paul Schlesinger | Daily Orange File Photo
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UPDATE: This post was updated at 4:56 p.m. on July 31, 2025.
Syracuse University is closing its Office of Diversity and Inclusion and will open a new unit under the Office of Human Resources, SU Chancellor Kent Syverud announced in a campus-wide email Thursday.
SU will form a new office within HR called People and Culture after concluding a review of ODI’s mission and programs. The new team will focus on employee engagement, expanding professional development and strengthening community building, the email states.
“It is essential to ensure all members of our community feel and are respected, supported and valued,” Syverud wrote.
The closure comes as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to target higher education institutions for their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility policies. In March, his administration sought to eliminate the federal government’s “woke” initiatives, flagging documents with terms associated with DEIA.
The words “diversity” and “inclusion” appear on that list.
In March, the university began a review of the ODI for its compliance with federal policy. Mary Grace Almandrez, vice president for diversity and inclusion, and her team engaged with over 300 students, faculty, staff and alumni in the process, the email states.
As part of the transition, the Student Experience Division will expand its efforts to create community among students, Syverud added.
The ODI was established in 2020 in response to students advocating for SU to advance DEIA initiatives on campus. With its closure, SU joins higher education institutions across the country that have closed DEIA offices after Trump took office.
