Interim OU President Joseph Harroz released a statement late Monday in response to a history professor using a racial slur during a class.
In the statement, Harroz said a professor in the history department used the N-word repeatedly while reading from a historical document. The professor announced a “trigger warning” before using the slur.
“Her issuance of a ‘trigger warning’ before her recitation does not lessen the pain caused by the use of the word,” Harroz said in the statement. “For students in the class, as well as members of our community, this was another painful experience. It is common sense to avoid uttering the most offensive word in the English language, especially in an environment where the speaker holds the power.”
Letter from Interim President Harroz.🔗 https://t.co/es07l5NKy2 pic.twitter.com/tElmpKVN5S
— Univ. of Oklahoma (@UofOklahoma) February 24, 2020
Harroz did not name the professor in the statement, but The Daily has confirmed through multiple sources with knowledge of what happened in the class that the incident occurred in a class taught by Kathleen Brosnan, a faculty member in OU's history department. The incident occurred in a class that covers American history from the Civil War to present day.
The Daily contacted Brosnan by phone shortly after 6:30 p.m. Monday and by email at 9:09 a.m. Tuesday, but had not received comment as of 9:15 a.m. Tuesday.
The incident occurred less than two weeks after Peter Gade, director of graduate studies for the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication and Gaylord Family endowed chair, used the N-word in its entirety in comparison to the phrase “OK, boomer.”
Harroz said in the statement that following Gade’s use of the word, the administration has started working on a new plan to address these issues, which includes a new diversity, equity and inclusion training regimen for OU faculty, staff and administration that addresses implicit biases, along with the development of an incident response protocol.
“While it is unfortunate that another incident would occur before we could roll out this action plan, we are resolute in addressing these matters with decisive action,” Harroz said in the statement. “It is our responsibility to ensure that OU fulfills its promise to lead in bringing society closer together.”
This post will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
