Under Fire From Lawmakers, a Flagship Tries to Explain Why Diversity Matters
When J.T. Taylor came to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville as a freshman, she immediately found a home at the Pride Center, which serves students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. Ms. Taylor, a senior who is African-American and identifies as queer, says she has also benefited immensely from a mentoring program and other efforts sponsored by the university’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion. But now, as Tennessee lawmakers cast doubt on whether public colleges should direct any state money toward diversity, Ms. Taylor worries that students like her won’t find the same support in the future.