Students critique "The Hub" name change

University of Richmond students are grappling with a rebranding of the school’s center for student inclusion - now known as “The Hub” - in the midst of a federal government crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education.  

As stated on its website, “‘The Hub' for Student Inclusion and Community strives to remove barriers and offer a sense of belonging for University of Richmond students. In doing so, we cultivate inclusive communities and empower students to be affirmed in their identities.”

In a September poll of 51 students across campus, 63% knew of the name change. 92% of the students polled had neutral or negative opinions, and the other 8% had a positive opinion.

“I understand why it's being done – I think,” said senior Aine MacDermott. “I like to think that I understand, just taking, like preventative measures, so that the school doesn't put a target on its back.” 

Nearly all of the positive-leaning students agreed that the university changed the name in an effort to evade government pressures in the future.

“The hub is easier to say than SCEI,” said senior Grady Zeidel.

Another student, senior Steven Pisano, said, “It could be a good change because when I think of equity, I think of groups that aren’t as included on campus, or as common, and by changing the name and adding community, it can make it more welcoming.”

Most students had a more negative opinion. They said they didn’t expect to see any changes in the function of The Hub, and simply referred to it as a cosmetic fix. 

Colin Heathcott, a first-year student, said, “I mean. It's a name, but, you know, the small things add up.”

In an email to the community Vice President for Student Development Todd Adams wrote, “Joining Health and Well-Being (HWB) is the Hub for Student Inclusion and Community (the Student Hub), which succeeds the Student Center for Equity and Inclusion. As an integral part of HWB, the Hub for Student Inclusion and Community joins Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Disability Services, Health Promotion, the Student Health Center, and University Recreation in advocating and caring for students while providing them with important resources and services. The Student Hub supports a key dimension of wellness: developing a sense of connection, belonging, and support, and provides many avenues for students to build community on and beyond campus.”

Senior Anaïs Ngako said, “Equity is a big issue in our society. So, removing that word also removes any sort of, like, accountability or honesty … Some students come with a lot more [struggles] than others.”

Ngako asserted that the change from “equity” to “community” removes a key part of The Hub’s mission, because the words mean different things.

The Collegian reported in February that President Kevin Hallock was questioned during a President’s Forum about how the university would respond to President Donald Trump’s executive order terminating “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives in the federal government and promising to force schools to end “discriminatory” admissions policies. 

“I do want you to understand our deep commitment to belonging in the community,” Hallock said. “Our mission is unchanged. Our commitments are unchanged. Our values haven’t changed.” 

Hallock said the addition of a DEI Board Committee to the university’s Board of Trustees was formally proposed in an open letter issued by the deans of the five schools back in 2021. 

In April, Hallock, along with hundreds of college and university presidents, signed a letter protesting the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” 

It was reported in March that more than 50 universities have been under federal investigation for alleged racial discrimination since Trump’s campaign to end DEI programs in college life began. 

Morgan Russell-Stokes, the dean of the Hub for Student Inclusion and Community, spoke with the Collegian earlier this semester in its first article about the Hub's name change.

“What I would hate to happen is that there’s a future where the decline of engagement happens in this office, and now all of the sudden it doesn’t exist,” Russell-Stokes said. “I think because of the climate, our students that we have…traditionally provided services to, we see that they’re afraid. Everybody’s afraid.”

At a town hall event in October, university officials denied that any name changes were made in response to the Trump administration’s attacks on DEI programs. 

“While the name is not there, that doesn't mean that we’ve lost equity as part of the work or as the outcome of the work," Adams said at the event. “The communications around the changes…were left to chance.” He went on to say that “There were things that we could’ve and should’ve done better for you.”

The University of Richmond ranked No. 14 in the Princeton Review’s most recent rankings of colleges and universities with little race and class interaction. The Collegian reported in 2023 that the University of Richmond landed at No. 13 in this category, dropping from No. 4 in 2019. 

The Princeton Review identifies the top 25 universities where students say there is little interaction between people of different racial and economic groups. The list is based on how much students agree with the statement, “Different types of students (black/white, rich/poor) interact frequently and easily.” The survey included 170,000 students at 391 colleges in its 2026 edition. 

One student echoed the ranking in their comments on the name change. “I don't see any collaboration, even connection, when it comes to students of color and non-students of color,” said Ngako. “We're on campus together, but it does feel very separated.”

Over the last two semesters, The Collegian has experienced an influx of student sources requesting to either remain anonymous or redact previous statements. Federal policy and a culture of anti-immigration rhetoric have encouraged students to remain unnamed or deny interviews. 

In the process of reporting for this story, several interviews were either denied or redacted. 

Trump’s policy regarding the deportation of international students had a silencing effect on them. Because of this, The Collegian created a policy specific to the attribution of students with visas requesting to remain unnamed, or retract statements, in fear of backlash. While the paper aims to include exclusively named sources, the necessity for a clear policy arose in the spring of 2025. 

The policy states that “The Collegian believes that free speech is a fundamental right outlined in the Constitution. Students should not face the risk of deportation or detention due to exercising this right.”

Abby Landa, a senior, believed that the school wasn’t changing the name because of schoolwide sentiments but instead to “avoid getting punished by the government,” like other colleges, particularly in the Ivy League. Landa added that “things like equity and equality, [right-leaning politicians] associate it with being woke and they don’t want that.” 

Contact investigative editor Lucille Hancock at lucille.hancock@richmond.edu

This story was reported in conjunction with the Community-based Journalism class at UR, which contributed to reporting.