Editor's note: This story is featured in OU Daily's Back to School Guide, which will be available in print in mid-August.
OU has made several changes to student resources and programs in the wake of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s executive order.
The impact of this recent state policy was distressing, according to Wesley Russell, vice president of the OU LGBTQ+ Student Association, yet many opportunities remain for students to connect in the new academic year.
For Russell and many other student leaders and groups on campus, the new year provides a new opportunity to welcome and form a community for new and returning students.
“I think my primary goal is, obviously, to keep supporting queer students on campus, but then also to hopefully leave, because I'm a rising senior, something behind for incoming students and students who will be there after I leave,” Russell said.
The LGBTQ+ Student Association is a new student-led organization under Student Life that combines the former departmental student group under OU’s Gender + Equality Center called the LGBTQ+ Program Advisory Board and the LGBTQ+ Student Alliance, a student-led group for 2SLGBTQ+ students. The LGBTQ+ Student Alliance once collaborated with the GEC but was not a departmental student group.
The organization will further change its name to the “Queer Student Association,” beginning in the fall.
In the past, Russell said the LGBTQ+ Student Alliance was not very active, so his goal is to make the new LGBTQ+ Student Association a resource for community and involvement that students can look forward to.
Now that they are completely student-led, Russell said the organization is taking on more responsibilities of planning programs, hosting events and supporting students on campus.
“We're wanting to kind of turn (programming) into more of (a) hangouts kind of thing. … Kind of what a lot of other multicultural orgs do of having study nights and having dinner together, or like snacks. Stuff like that. Not necessarily these huge scale programs, but more smaller ones so that people can make close connections and (find) support.”
Russell’s plan as part of the LGBTQ+ Student Association executive team is to facilitate some smaller events as well so that participating students can make close connections and find support.
On Dec. 13, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order calling for a formal review of diversity, equity and inclusion in Oklahoma higher education. The executive order required state agencies and universities to review the necessity and efficiency of DEI positions, departments, activities, procedures and programs. This resulted in many changes to programs at OU.
In December, Oklahoma State University President Kayse Shrum released a statement to OSU students, faculty and staff, reading:
“Yesterday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an executive order regarding diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state government and higher education,” Shrum wrote. “While we will ensure we meet our legal obligations, an initial review indicates that no significant changes to our processes or practices are needed.”
In February, OSU’s Office of Institutional Diversity was reformed into the Division of Access and Community Impact. According to Jason Kirksey, vice president for the OSU Division of Access and Community Impact, the name change was not related to Stitt’s decision and was instead the result of expanding services to a broader group of students, faculty and staff.
To comply with the May 31 deadline, OU changed the name and function of its Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office to the Division of Access and Opportunity, closed the Gender + Equality Center, created the new Office of Advocacy and Education and made several leadership changes within the Division of Student Affairs.
Because of the recent restructuring of the Student Life department, Russell said at the end of June it was unclear who would advise his organization or if multiple advisers could help his organization reach its goals.
Drag Queen Patty Bourey during Crimson and Queens on April 28.
Quan Phan, the current adviser for the LGBTQ+ Program Advisory Board and LGBTQ+ Student Alliance, wrote in an email to OU Daily that when registered student organization registration occurs in fall, the LGBTQ+ Program Advisory Board and LGBTQ+ Student Alliance will merge and become the Queer Student Association. Phan will continue his advising role for the group while also supporting other registered student organizations through Student Life Community Engagement.
Quy Nguyen, director of Student Life, wrote in an email to OU Daily that any Student Life staff members can help student organizations and associations meet their goals because of Student Life’s community advising model. However, Nguyen wrote it was important to note that Student Life advisers are not intended to replace registered student organization advisers but to offer additional support.
Advisers in Student Life may also have stronger skill sets that may aid them in advising certain aspects of a student organization, such as programming, budgeting and marketing, Nguyen wrote.
With the change to being under Student Life, Russell said he is excited about the opportunities the association now has for collaboration with other Student Life groups.
There are a multitude of student-led groups under Student Life, including fraternities and sororities; religious groups; and multicultural groups, such as the American Indian Student Association, the Asian American Student Association, the Black Student Association and the Hispanic American Student Association.
“We've talked about that possibility (of collaboration) a lot, and it's just a matter of figuring out who would want to collaborate with us, what kind of things we would want to do (and) where the overlap is of interest,” Russell said.
Nguyen wrote his department is preparing for students' return or arrival to campus with Camp Crimson and other events at the beginning of the school year as students look to connect.
“We have been working closely with Camp Crimson to host multiple events to showcase all the ways students can get involved and to find community and to enhance their orientation and familiarity with OU,” Nguyen wrote. “We are working with the Campus Activities Council’s Howdy Week to provide engagement opportunities with various groups and offices at OU.”
Nguyen wrote Student Life supports registered student organizations at OU by answering questions about how to make their groups successful at OU, such as publicizing events, reserving campus spaces, learning how to lead meetings and how to navigate campus policies.
“We work with any student group that would like support and guidance and work with their campus advisers to help them feel confident about their organization and knowing that they have the tools to be successful at OU,” Nguyen wrote.
Student Life also partners with offices across campus, especially those within the Division of Student Affairs.
“When you walk into Student Life, we want it to feel like a place where anyone can come and to find opportunities to connect and to grow themselves,” Nguyen wrote. “We hope that when students and community members come into the space, (they) can feel it as soon as they step into our office and that they know that no matter where they come, this is a place that they can be part of.”
Director of the Office of Advocacy and Education Ann Schafer wrote to OU Daily that the new office will focus on sexual violence prevention and response; alcohol and other drug education; Food Pantry operations and services; and general wellness education.
“As we are building this office, my hope in the next year is to bring even more awareness to both OU Advocates and the OU Food Pantry as vital services to OU,” Schafer wrote.
OU Advocates is a 24/7, free and confidential helpline for anyone in the OU community who experiences sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking and/or sexual harassment.
For OU Advocates and the Food Pantry, Schafer wrote the office wants to provide as much awareness through outreach events so students, faculty and staff know how to access and partner with these resources.
Formerly the GEC associate director of outreach and education, Schafer wrote her former role mainly focused on educational sessions and facilitating training and workshops.
In her new role, she wrote she oversees the Education & Outreach coordinators responsible for the Peer Educator staff, as well as the creation and development of content. As director of the new office, she now oversees additional staff and services as well, including OU Advocates and the OU Food Pantry.
“This role, along with the amazing staff of the Office of Advocacy & Education, allows me to oversee more of the big picture ideas of the office and help direct the team to continue to provide the best to our students,” Schafer wrote.
The Office of Advocacy and Education also provides engaging education for students, specifically gender-based violence prevention training through The Consent Conversation and Alcohol & Other Drug education, which are both facilitated during Camp Crimson.
According to Schafer, The Consent Conversation is a mandatory workshop for all incoming first-year students to ensure students understand the importance of consensual interactions.
Alcohol and Other Drugs is part of the OU's Comprehensive Alcohol & Other Drug Program, which includes mandatory education based on the current Student Alcohol Policy for all incoming first-year students on safe practices, harm reduction strategies and dangers associated with alcohol and drug abuse.
Schafer said the office also plans to offer education on healthy relationships, healthy habits and general wellness.
“You will see the Office of Advocacy & Education promote consent through social media and poster campaigns, talk about the support of survivors through events like Take Back the Night, and many different drives and donation opportunities through the Food Pantry,” Schafer wrote. “We hope that students find some way to get involved in our events and outreach.”
The upcoming year is a new opportunity to provide events and educational sessions to the campus community, Schafer wrote. The main focus remains supporting, developing and empowering the OU community through awareness, learning, care and connection.
While uncertainty about programs may still exist for students following Oklahoma’s policy changes, Russell feels with the new year comes new opportunities for students to connect and make a difference at OU.
“This past spring, when everything was happening, there was just a lot of unknown. There was a lot of stress and nervousness,” Russell said. “I hope that summer has given students time to process the changes, but also to let the excitement come back with like, ‘OK, so what are the changes going to look like? What are the upsides of these changes?’”
“I'm really hopeful to try and help that kind of blossom of the excitement, the resilience in the queer community, because I know that the queer community is so resilient. I just want to see that continue to grow and flourish.”
This story was edited by Ana Barboza. Avery Avery, Riley McDaniel, Matthew Moore and Chelsea Rose copy edited this story.
