Impacts of Women’s Resource Center closure one year later – The Daily Utah Chronicle

Legislative Impact on Gender Equality and Inclusive Education at the University of Utah

A report on the closure of the University of Utah’s Women’s Resource Center (WRC) following the enactment of state bill HB261. This analysis examines the event’s direct implications on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Setbacks for Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality

The closure of the WRC represents a significant institutional setback for the advancement of gender equality. The center was a key resource in addressing systemic issues that hinder progress toward SDG 5.

State-Level Context of Gender Inequality

The challenges to achieving SDG 5 in Utah are underscored by several key indicators:

• According to a 2025 WalletHub report, Utah ranks last among U.S. states for overall gender equality.
• Dr. Susan Madsen, Director of the Utah Women and Leadership Project (UWLP), highlights that the state has higher-than-national rates of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child sexual abuse, which are direct barriers to Target 5.2 (Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls).
• Dr. Madsen identifies pervasive sexism as the foundation for these issues, including one of the nation’s widest gender pay gaps, which contravenes the principles of equal rights to economic resources outlined in SDG 5.

Impact of WRC Closure on SDG 5 Targets

The discontinuation of the WRC directly undermines progress on specific targets within SDG 5.

1. Erosion of Institutional Support: The closure dismantled a key campus institution dedicated to providing support, counseling, and scholarships for women, weakening the framework necessary to promote empowerment and end discrimination (Target 5.1).
2. Increased Vulnerability for Women: The loss of the center disproportionately affects the most vulnerable female students, including first-generation students and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, who relied on its specialized services.
3. Loss of a Safe and Empowering Space: The WRC provided a dedicated space for women, the absence of which removes a vital resource for fostering community, support, and advocacy essential for achieving full and effective participation for women in public life (Target 5.5).

Implications for SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The legislative action and subsequent restructuring of services have profound implications for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and reducing campus inequalities.

Restructuring of Student Support and Service Gaps

While services formerly provided by the WRC have been redistributed to the Center for Student Access and Resources (CSAR) and the University Counseling Center (UCC), this consolidation presents challenges to SDG 4 and SDG 10.

• Incomplete Service Provision: The current Director of CSAR, Kirstin Maanum, confirms that the new center is “not necessarily providing all the things” that the WRC did, indicating a gap in comprehensive support.
• Barriers to Access: Students have expressed confusion about where to find specific resources, creating a barrier to accessing the support needed for an equitable educational experience (Target 4.5: Eliminate gender disparities in education).
• Dilution of Specialized Support: The move away from identity-specific centers to broader service hubs risks failing to address the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups, thereby exacerbating inequalities (SDG 10).

National Trends and Institutional Integrity (SDG 16)

The closure is situated within a broader legislative climate impacting the integrity of educational institutions.

• HB261 is part of a wider national movement to restrict Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which are fundamental to building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels (SDG 16).
• Dr. Madsen notes that her organization, the UWLP, is one of the only women-focused entities permitted to continue operating due to direct legislative funding, illustrating the vulnerability of institutions that support marginalized communities.
• The dismantling of such centers weakens the university’s institutional capacity to protect fundamental freedoms and ensure responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making.

Expert Perspectives on Student Support

The Need for Targeted Resources

Experts and staff emphasize the negative consequences of eliminating identity-specific support systems.

1. Dr. Susan Madsen: Argues that the “false assumption that when you don’t see gender or race, that you’re serving everybody better is absolutely incorrect,” and calls the impact on vulnerable women “devastating.”
2. Dr. Robyn Blackburn: Stresses the importance of specific peer groups for identity formation, stating that students need to relate to their peers rather than engage with “something broad.”
3. Kirstin Maanum: Acknowledges the “grief” and “sadness” felt by students and staff during the transition but affirms that the new CSAR staff, many of whom came from former identity centers, are committed to making every student feel “seen, welcome, supported and connected.”

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article’s central theme is gender inequality in Utah. It directly cites a report ranking Utah last in the U.S. for gender equality and discusses systemic issues such as high rates of violence against women, sexist attitudes, and a significant gender pay gap. The closure of the University of Utah’s Women’s Resource Center (WRC) as a result of the anti-DEI bill HB261 is presented as a major setback for gender equality on campus, removing a key support system for female students.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The issues are set within the context of higher education. The article explains that the WRC provided essential services like “scholarships, counseling services and support groups for women at the U.” The closure of the center and the consolidation of its services create “gaps in services” and confusion for students, potentially hindering equal access to a supportive and safe learning environment, which is a key component of quality education.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The article highlights how the closure of the WRC disproportionately affects the “most vulnerable of our women,” including “First generation women, people who have been sexually assaulted, [and those in] domestic violence situations.” This action, driven by legislation, exacerbates inequalities by removing targeted support for a specific demographic, contradicting the goal of promoting social and economic inclusion for all. The mention of Utah having one of the “widest” gender pay gaps further underscores the theme of economic inequality.

4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The article focuses on the impact of a specific law, HB261, which prohibits identity centers on public campuses. This legislation is portrayed as a policy that weakens institutional frameworks designed to promote equality and support vulnerable populations. The discussion revolves around how state and federal policies are affecting the inclusivity and effectiveness of public institutions like the University of Utah, thereby relating to the goal of building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Targets under SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article discusses HB261, a bill that led to the closure of women’s centers, which can be interpreted as an institutional policy that results in discrimination by removing dedicated support structures for women.
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls. The article explicitly states that Utah has “higher rates than the nation in terms of sexual assault, in terms of domestic violence.” It also notes that the WRC was a critical resource for women in these vulnerable situations.
   • Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality. The article discusses HB261 as legislation that has the opposite effect, effectively dismantling policies and centers that were in place to promote gender equality on university campuses.

2. Targets under SDG 4 (Quality Education)

   • Target 4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality tertiary education, including university. The WRC provided scholarships, and its closure could impact affordable access for some female students. The loss of tailored support services also affects the quality of the educational experience for vulnerable students.
   • Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are … gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. The article describes the WRC as a safe space for vulnerable women, particularly those who have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence. Its closure marks the loss of a resource that contributed to a safe and inclusive learning environment.

3. Targets under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of … sex. The closure of the WRC is presented as a move that undermines the inclusion of female students, as it removes a space where they “felt seen, welcome, supported and connected.”
   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The article points to HB261 as a policy that creates unequal outcomes. It also explicitly mentions the “gender pay gap” in Utah as one of the widest, a clear inequality of outcome.

4. Targets under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Target 16.b: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development. The article frames HB261 as a discriminatory policy that negatively impacts gender equality, running counter to this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Explicit Indicators

   • State-level ranking on gender equality: The article cites a WalletHub report that “ranked [Utah] last in overall gender equality in the U.S.” This is a direct, measurable indicator of the state’s performance on gender equality.
   • Prevalence of violence against women: The statement that Utah has “higher rates than the nation in terms of sexual assault, in terms of domestic violence” serves as a qualitative indicator of progress (or lack thereof) towards eliminating violence against women.
   • Gender Pay Gap: The article explicitly mentions that the “gender pay gap … [the state of] Utah is one of the widest.” This is a key economic indicator of gender inequality.

2. Implied Indicators

   • Existence of legal frameworks promoting or hindering gender equality: The article’s focus on HB261 implies that the existence and nature of such laws are an indicator of a state’s commitment to non-discrimination (relevant to Indicator 5.1.1).
   • Availability of gender-specific support services in educational institutions: The closure of the WRC and other women’s centers across Utah implies that the “number of dedicated resource centers for women on university campuses” can be used as an indicator for institutional support for gender equality in education.
   • Provision of student support services: The article mentions that the WRC provided scholarships and counseling. The number and accessibility of these services for vulnerable student populations can serve as an indicator of an inclusive educational environment.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: dailyutahchronicle.com