(Salt Lake City, UT) — With graduation season nearing, Latinos, LGBTQ students, Pacific Islanders and others are considering how to proceed with celebrations marking the end of their undergraduate years at many Utah universities because of HB 261. Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Geoffrey Landward says his office is working to craft guidelines to assist colleges and universities as they adjust to the legislation’s provisions. For the 2024 graduation season, he says celebrations may proceed without change. In 2025, these celebrations may be in jeopardy based on the bill passed by Utah lawmakers this year that requires an overhaul of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Utah’s public institutions of higher learning. State universities are to implement HB 261 changes by July 1st.