University of Kentucky (UK) President Eli Capilouto stated that the university’s decision to cancel graduation ceremonies for LGBTQ+, Black, and first-generation students was made to “protect our people,” according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
In a video message to students and staff, Capilouto defended the move, which came amid growing pressure from the Trump administration against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The university recently announced it would no longer hold separate graduation celebrations for marginalized student groups.
“We have made difficult choices — ones that understandably create concern and, for some, pain,” Capilouto said. “Canceling these celebrations — which have honored students who often haven’t seen themselves reflected in the larger campus community — is one such choice. But we believe it’s necessary. Complying with the law is, in our view, the best way to safeguard our people and preserve our ability to support them moving forward.”
Students who had looked forward to participating in the University of Kentucky’s Lavender Graduation for LGBTQ+ students and the Harambe Unity Graduation Celebration for Black and first-generation students expressed deep disappointment after the university canceled the events.
Jay Stringer-Vaught, a master’s student in library science, voiced his frustration with the decision.
“Why is UK okay with accepting my gay dollars, but they’re not okay with celebrating a gay person?” he said. “I feel angry. I feel betrayed as a student at the University of Kentucky. It feels like a slap in the face.”
Stringer-Vaught also shared that he could not afford the official regalia required to attend the university-wide commencement at Rupp Arena. The Lavender Graduation had offered a more intimate and accessible alternative, especially important for his family — including his mother, who uses a wheelchair.
The cancellations come in the wake of a new Kentucky law, passed by the state legislature, that mandates all public colleges and universities eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices by June 30, 2025.
UK is also under federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Education, which named the school among several institutions accused of using race-exclusive practices in their graduate programs.
“The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon wrote in a March 14 letter, as reported by the Kentucky Kernel, UK’s student newspaper. “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.”
President Capilouto suggested the university’s inclusion in the investigation may stem from its collaboration with the PhD Project — a national networking initiative that connects doctoral students with professional opportunities and aims to diversify academia.
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