UWA Dean admits plans to continue DEI under different name: “It’s a marketing thing”
August 20, 2025
The Dean of Students at the University of West Alabama was caught on hidden camera admitting that the school doesn’t plan to end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion instruction in accordance with state law.
According to Byron Thetford, it’s really just a “marketing thing” for UWA.
While speaking to undercover Accuracy in Media investigators, he explained that the school can’t fund DEI directly anymore, but said “we are looking for loopholes.”
In fact, he said they want to dedicate part of their federal Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) grant to DEI instruction.
Thetford also shared that he has to “be careful” when talking about the school’s acting chief diversity officer because they are “flexing out of that role” due to the state law against DEI.
But even though titles are changing and DEI instruction isn’t explicitly stated, Thetford made it clear to AIM’s investigators that it was still ongoing.
“So we are all still partnering to work together to offer programming and events for those certain things,” he said. “We’re just being more mindful about how we go about it.”
When Thetford was confronted for seeking loopholes to preserve DEI at UWA by AIM President Adam Guillette, he denied doing so.
It wasn’t until he was shown the video of himself that Thetford acknowledged his statements. Asked what he meant by stating he was “looking for loopholes,” Thetford said: “We’re still looking for ways to provide for our students any way that we can.”
The state law banning DEI education in public institutions was signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, R-Ala., in March of 2024, and went into effect that fall.
“My administration has and will continue to value Alabama’s rich diversity, however, I refuse to allow a few bad actors on college campuses – or wherever else for that matter – to go under the acronym of DEI, using taxpayer funds, to push their liberal political movement counter to what the majority of Alabamians believe,” she said upon signing the measure.
Despite the legislature’s work in passing the law and Ivey’s decision to sign it, institutions like UWA continue to make covert efforts to undermine these policies and continue DEI indoctrination on the taxpayers’ dime.
Higher education officials like Thetford are making it clear they don’t want to abide by state law and are looking to actively circumvent it, with the hope that they won’t get caught.
But Accuracy in Media is holding them accountable.
To send a message to UWA’s Trustees, visit deiinalabama.com to share your thoughts about Thetford’s plan to defy the law.