The OU community responded Wednesday to Senior Vice President and Provost Kyle Harper stepping down from his current roles to return to teaching and scholarship.
In an email sent to the university community, OU President Joseph Harroz said Harper would be stepping out of his current role to return to a faculty position, effective July 1. BERT called for Harper’s resignation in its list of demands during the February sit-in at Evan’s Hall after two OU professors used racial slurs in class.
In a press release, BERT said the university should be mindful when selecting a new candidate for Harper’s position.
“Based on the racist history of this university, we yearn for a candidate uniquely positioned to acknowledge, to be educated and listen to the experiences of the marginalized,” BERT said in the release.
OU graduate and Afro-Latinx international student Eduardo Campbell said he is optimistic for the future of OU now that Harper has stepped down.
“(Harper) represented (a) sexist, homophobic (and) systemic practice within the administration,” Campbell said.
Campbell attended the BERT sit-in in February holding a sign that read, “Provost Harper Has Got To Go!” He said he posted the photo today as a celebration of the social progress he believes the university is making.
“This is a little ‘win’ when trying to eradicate systemic racism because, to me, that's what he represented,” Campbell said.
It is a good day! pic.twitter.com/Lv5FCZH0tv
— Eduardo Campbell (@ecampbell1096) June 17, 2020
Other members of the OU community have shared their excitement about Harper stepping down on Twitter.
kyle harper stepping down is the only good thing that’s happened in like a month
— kelly (@kellyscheurich1) June 17, 2020
Waking up to Harper gone, getting boosted at my dentist for my teeth, and getting to hear my uncle, the 1st black mayor of my town, address racism at a civic org meeting and seeing old yt ppl uncomfy is equaling to a good ass dayyyyy!!! pic.twitter.com/oqKZahzEPH
— pash® (@pashioun) June 17, 2020
kyle harper resigned?? WE WON pic.twitter.com/d4Qwhh81oo
— FREE JULIUS JONES (@VlCTORlAFORCE) June 17, 2020
Some expressed their disapproval of Harper returning to teach in the classroom despite past accusations of bigotry.
So he has to step down from being provost because of his racist and misogynistic past but somehow that qualifies him to be a professor. Sounds about OU https://t.co/kSfjLDVH72
— Black Lives Matter ✊🏿 (@boxwine_mami) June 17, 2020
Former Dean of OU’s David L. Boren College of International Studies Suzette Grillot voiced her distaste for Harper.
Both OU dudes I have sued have now been “retired” and “resigned”!! The work is not over - OU is still corrupt AF, but Kyle Harper’s departure from the provost position - a position he should have never held - is a beautiful thing!!
— Suzette Grillot (@suzettegrillot) June 17, 2020
BERT said in the release the decision the Board of Regents makes about the new senior vice president and provost will determine the future of social change on campus.
“This decision will very much tell us if the Regents are ready to bring about change, or if they are interested in upholding the status quo of white supremacy,” BERT said in the release.
