The closing of Sacred Heart University’s multicultural, sexuality and gender equity centers in Fairfield this month is just the latest of dozens of campus community centers appealing to certain demographics of students being mandated to close under new federal guidelines.
CT Insider reported Aug. 11 that Sacred Heart’s centers will close, with university President John J. Petillo saying in a statement the change comes from “evolving federal guidelines related to higher education.” Petillo added the school reviewed its structures and practices to avoid interruptions of federal funding.
The shift comes amid a war on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and promotion of “divisive concepts,” according to Teen Vogue. Sacred Heart’s closure is one of dozens already reported around the country, the magazine found.
From August 2023 to May 2025, the magazine found, more than 30 gender and sexuality resource centers have been closed on at least 23 colleges, up to that point all closures happening in states with Republican leadership.
In addition to state laws threatening college funding, the federal government under Trump has threatened public schools with diversity programs, targeted similar programs in higher education and has even worked to eliminate those programs in the private sector, according to reports.
The added concern is that removing women-focused and queer-supporting centers on college campuses will leave students lacking community connections and without resources they can utilize, especially among students who are statistically more at risk of self-harm without access to support centers on campuses.
The Chronicle of Higher Education is keeping a list of schools removing their diversity programs, their most recent cases including Cornell University and Duke University removing other standards from office titles and faculty handbooks.
The changes are not expected to end any time soon; Compliance Week reports another announcement from the federal government will seek to end race- and sex-based considerations in how colleges and universities accept their students, adding to an overall chill on college campuses.
