Why UK is changing the name of its Center for Research on Violence Against Women
The University of Kentucky Center for Research on Violence Against Women will soon take a new name: the UK Center for Violence Prevention.
The name change was approved at Friday’s board of trustees meeting, and will officially go into effect on July 1. The two faculty trustees, Hollie Swanson and Karen Petrone, voted against the name change.
The center was moved into the College of Public Health in 2024. While it previously focused on research related to violence between romantic partners and crimes against women, that has changed to now focus more broadly on reducing and preventing interpersonal violence, according to UK’s website.
“The name change reflects the research focus to reduce violence by using and testing novel intervention and prevention strategies,” the agenda item from the board meeting said.
The Center for Research on Violence Against Women was established at UK in 2004, and at the time was the only research center in the country dedicated to such research, according to university archives.
Since moving into the College of Public Health, that research now “focuses on preventing violence through developing and testing strategies to reduce or prevent violence regardless of personal identifiers,” according to the agenda item.
UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said the name change is not related to any state or federal laws — such as House Bill 4, which became law last year and bans diversity, equity and inclusion at Kentucky public colleges and universities. That includes any programming or practices that “promote or provide preferential treatment or benefits to individuals on the basis of religion, sex, color, or national origin.”
Diversity and inclusion certificate program closes
At the same board meeting, the board voted to close a graduate certificate in diversity and inclusion in the College of Arts and Sciences. The program was “designed for a wide range of professional backgrounds in recognition of our increasingly diverse world and workplaces.”
Less than 10 students were enrolled in the certificate in recent years, according to university data.
“Due to low student demand and the resulting challenges in offering the required coursework, the College of Arts and Sciences has requested to close the graduate certificate in Diversity and Inclusion,” according to the board materials.