Cleveland State University’s Vice President for Campus Engagement, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Phillip “Flapp” Cockrell, will be stepping down from his position in October after two years in the role, according to a University spokesperson. The spokesperson said that Cockrell will remain in his position until Oct. 15.

CSU President Laura Bloomberg said in a Sept. 13 faculty senate meeting that Cockrell “made the decision to leave the University for personal reasons and will be moving down south closer to his family.”

According to the University spokesperson, Bloomberg originally shared the news with faculty and staff “per a message” on Aug. 29. 

In the Sept. 13 faculty senate meeting, Bloomberg said that the news of Cockrell’s departure came as the University was discussing the creation of a Division of Student Belonging and Success. She said that the news provided an “opportunity to think about restructuring.” A slide she presented showed that the new Division oversees many of the same programs as the former Division of Campus Engagement, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

When asked if the new division will be replacing the Division of Campus Engagement, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the spokesperson said that it is “more like an enhancement.”

Cockrell’s departure comes as Ohio’s public universities are facing increasing pressure from conservative state officials to combat perceived liberal biases on campuses. Republican state Sen. Jerry Cirino introduced a bill last spring that would place several restrictions on public universities, including prohibiting mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and mandating public universities. A revised version of the bill which provides some exceptions, including allowing DEI programs when they are required for research grant applications, is currently being considered by the Ohio Legislature. 

At the faculty senate meeting, Bloomberg said that the University is “no longer going to be using the expression campus engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion,” but will “review everything we do through a lens of equity, inclusion, diversity and fundamentally justice.” 

The spokesperson said that the transition between the two divisions will be occurring over the next few weeks.

Cockrell is CSU’s first Vice President for Campus Engagement, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. His position oversaw several student services, including the offices of Residence Life, Health & Wellness Services, Disability Center and the LGBTQ Office. The position merged several former positions, including Vice President of Student affairs, Dean of Students and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. 

Cockrell did not respond to a request for an interview. According to the spokesperson, he “respectfully declined to do any interviews about his transition.”