Suzette Grillot, dean of OU's College of International Studies, was terminated from her position Jan. 18 as the administration prepares to make cuts to the college.
Grillot, who took over as the dean of the David L. Boren College of International Studies in 2012, announced on Twitter that the decision to remove her came after "months of trying to prevent the administration from minimizing international education at the university."
Dear friends & colleagues, I write to inform you that I have been removed as Dean of the David L. Boren College of International Studies at the @UofOklahoma. See public statement attached. Many thanks to everyone who serves our amazing & diverse international community!! pic.twitter.com/0rZaewKeK7
— Suzette Grillot (@suzettegrillot) January 22, 2019
Grillot will remain in the college as a tenured professor, according to her Twitter post.
Grillot was openly critical of the secretive process that selected OU's 14th President James Gallogly, and wrote a petition to OU's Board of Regents to open up the process. After his announcement, Grillot wrote a petition to then President-designate Gallogly asking him for transparency in his administration.
Grillot told The Daily her termination is a result of a lack of cooperation with the administration's goals to make significant cuts to the College of International Studies.
"This issue is not about me," Grillot said. "I have been standing as a human shield in front of this administration's interest in minimizing and reducing international education, multiculturalism and diversity."
According to Grillot, the university made steps towards making significant cuts to the college last Monday.
"The provost announced to me a significant cut to the international studies budget," Grillot said. "The closure of OU in Rio, study abroad scholarships, significant hits to the College of International Studies. I was not happy, and I let them know, and the next thing I know, I'm gone."
Grillot said she intends to continue shedding light on issues she says are prevalent within the OU administration.
OU Public Affairs declined to comment on the situation due to its private, university personnel-related nature. Coverage of this story will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was updated at 12:10 a.m. to reflect comment from OU Public Affairs.
