Oklahoma’s two biggest universities appear to skirt around executive order prohibiting DEI programs
In December, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order prohibiting the state’s colleges and universities from using public funding to support DEI efforts.
Schools like the University of Oklahoma appear to have attempted to retain offices targeted by the rule by relabeling its DEI services in an effort to keep its current staff and programs.
This past year, multiple states enacted legislation requiring institutions of higher education to disband their offices centered around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). More recently, some colleges in Oklahoma are attempting to avoid layoffs by relabeling their DEI programs.
In December, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order prohibiting the state’s colleges and universities from using public funding to support DEI efforts. In a news release accompanying the order, Stitt stated that he signed the order in an effort to promote equal opportunity in an effort to bolster the state’s workforce.
“In Oklahoma, we’re going to encourage equal opportunity, rather than promising equal outcomes,” Stitt said. “Encouraging our workforce, economy, and education systems to flourish means shifting focus away from exclusivity and discrimination, and toward opportunity and merit. We’re taking politics out of education and focusing on preparing students for the workforce.”
In response to the order, the University of Oklahoma appears to have attempted to retain offices targeted by the rule by relabeling its DEI services in an effort to keep its current staff and programs, as noted by Do No Harm.
Senior director of programs at Do No Harm Laura Morgan stated that the apparent effort to dodge the intent of such rules and the law has been seen at other institutions in the past.
“This is a tactic that has been seen in other institutions: rename and rebrand the office to something that doesn’t mention DEI, but maintains the same leadership and initiatives,” Morgan said. “Staff members may be distributed to other departments where the work of engaging in identity politics continues, but on the surface level the university appears to comply with the law.”
Other schools in Oklahoma have reportedly employed similar tactics. After a preliminary review, Kayse Shrum, President of Oklahoma State University (OSU), said that none of the school’s programs would be dissolved by the executive order.
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“OSU faculty, staff and students are guided by the Cowboy Code, which invigorates us with a ‘passion to do what’s right,’ and united in the Cowboy Culture, which demands that ‘we treat every individual with dignity and respect and recognize that differences can serve to strengthen and enrich the fabric of life,’” she said in a statement to the university community. “Those fundamental commitments will not change.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Gov. Stitt, the University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.