Around this time of year, Matt Hartley would be preparing for the University of North Florida’s (UNF) annual “Find Your Folks” fair.
Matt Hartley. Courtesy Photo.
Held on the university’s Jacksonville campus during the first week of the fall semester, the event helps students find organizations that align with their religious — or non-religious — convictions.
As Director of UNF’s Interfaith Center, Hartley said, “it’s a way to welcome hundreds of new students to campus, tell them about our great interfaith work and invite them to get involved.”
But this year, “Find Your Folks” is probably not happening.
“We don’t know if our Center is going to exist,” Hartley said, “so we can’t plan like we normally do.”
The question around whether UNF’s Interfaith Center will still be around comes as a result of SB266, a state law in Florida that prevents colleges and universities from spending state or federal money to promote, support or maintain programs or activities that “advocate for” diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
As Deseret News’ Kelsey Dallas reported in March, although the law’s intention primarily focuses on what Governor Ron DeSantis frequently calls “woke” racial ideology, the law will impact centers like UNF’s. It also portends potentially wider ramifications for interfaith efforts on college campuses across the U.S.