Photo: Oklahoma Governor's Office
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has signed an executive order calling on state colleges and universities to take a closer look at their diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Stitt says those programs put the focus on the wrong things when it comes to higher education.
"We need to stop sending six-figure salaries to DEI staff and more on preparing students to get that job and to have a successful career," said Stitt. "Let's just go help kids, right? That's what we are all here to do. That's what our education system is supposed to do, so don't worry about what they look like or how they identify, let's just help kids get ready for the workforce."
Stitt says his executive order calls on state agencies to detail their funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs. "We are asking all the state agencies, including the universities to report back by May of 2024 on exactly what they are spending on DEI," said Stitt.
"I stand by Governor Stitt as he takes executive action today to enforce accountability from Oklahoma institutes of higher education," said Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell. "Let's remove the politics from our colleges and universities and focus on what really matters - building up Oklahoma's future workforce."