Dear [recipient’s name],
Thank you for your email regarding the recent decision to withdraw CESB’s sponsorship of the student
organization, MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanix de Aztlán). I want to assure you that this decision
was not an easy one and was made only after thorough deliberation, including careful consideration of
what chances there might be for an alternate solution.
I am deeply saddened that this situation could not be resolved in another way. But I feel the need to
make it clear: MEChA’s status was not changed because of their decision to participate in protests or
because of their message. The division of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, CESB, and the entire university
stand strongly in support MEChA’s right to speak out on important issues and to make the voices of its
members heard. That is fundamental to a democratic society.
What we cannot allow is for any student organization to shout down or shut down another student
group’s programming or speech, or interrupt or disrupt another group’s registered event, no matter
how vigorously they might oppose the message. This also is fundamental to a democratic society as well
as a civically engaged campus community.
According to university policy, Sponsored Student Organizations must also meet additional expectations;
most importantly, they must communicate clearly with their sponsoring office or unit on campus—and
they must be willing to take direction from that office. As University policy dictates, “[Sponsored Student
Organizations] are so closely aligned with the mission and culture of the University that their actions will
be considered the actions of the University. This [has] legal risk and other implications for the
University” (Rule 6-401A(I). Furthermore, because of this very close alignment, Sponsored Student
Organizations must “[o]perate under the direct and constant guidance of the sponsoring department
or office which must be committed to supporting the student organization’s mission and activities” (Rule
6-401A (III)(D)(1)(b).
Though EDI and CESB made several requests to have open dialogue and share guidance with MEChA,
those attempts were largely rebuffed, and directives were continually ignored. The repeated refusal to
receive any guidance from—or be advised by—EDI or CESB ultimately made it impossible for the
sponsor to continue its relationship with the student organization.
MEChA will maintain its “Registered Student Organization” (RSO) status on campus, and EDI and CESB
hope we can continue to partner with the student org around those issues that are so important to all of
us and where we remain aligned. Most importantly, this includes the rescheduled High School
Conference, planned for spring ’24.
Thank you again for your interest in this important issue—and for your commitment to building a
campus community where everyone knows they belong. For questions regarding Equity, Diversity, &
Inclusion at the University of Utah, I invite you to email me directly, the Vice President for EDI at
[email protected]
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Villarreal, Ph.D.
Vice President for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI)
University of Utah
