May 28—The University of Oklahoma chapter of the American Association of University Professors released a statement questioning the university’s dedication to diversity, inclusion and equity efforts and demanding action.

OU-AAUP has called for the university to reiterate its commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity. It also called for the university to rescind all DEI course cancellations, reinstate the National Education for Women Leadership program, reinstate mandatory DEI classes and cease and desist from reviewing faculty syllabi.

“I think it pretty much says it all that a university is going after programs that have helped and are now no longer around and are harming certain groups of people on campus,” said Michael Givel, OU-AAUP president.

The statement comes after the university started making changes to its DEI programs following an executive order signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt in December. Among those changes include eliminating OU’s Gender and Equality Center and the National Education for Women’s Leadership program. The university also renamed the DEI office to Division of Access and Opportunity, no longer has mandatory DEI classes and got rid of the “Leadership in LGBTQ Studies” course.

“OU has not provided a detailed justification for any of these measures, but the moves appear to be based on some unexplained interpretations of the provisions of the anti-DEI Executive Order,” the press release said.

Givel said the university had been working on these changes for several months before the executive order was signed and this is an ongoing effort and struggle for faculty, staff and students.

“These decisions turn back the clock on progress and put the University of Oklahoma on the wrong side of history,” the press release said.