https://www.foxnews.com/media/...nda-better-named-die

Published May 12, 2023 4:00am EDT
By Hannah Grossman | Fox News

University of Oklahoma donors discussed ceasing their payments to the institution over its far-left biases, according to multiple contributors who spoke with Fox News Digital.

"I'm not happy with where they're headed," a neurosurgeon named Christopher Boxell said." The diversity, equity and inclusion, which I think is better named DIE for DEI because I think that's what's going to happen because of it."

The university medical school created a "diversity alliance" to ensure equity was incorporated at every level and aspect of the university.

"We all should be looking at his best qualified. I don't care which race they're from. If they're best qualified, that's who should be there," he said. "Do you want that person is the top of the class or do you want the person at the bottom of the class? A lot of people don't ever ask those questions that you say, well, they graduated medical school, they're a doctor."

Dr. Boxell was concerned that the university has strayed from picking the best and brightest to incorporating woke agenda into its recruitment and how that would impact patient care down the line.

"I was really very disturbed," the doctor, who says he donated about $250,000 to Oklahoma University and its medical school, added.

Dr. Boxell also took issue with the university using its funds for a drag queen event, a sentiment shared by another donor who spoke with Fox News. The university paid $18,000 to host its annual drag show, which a GOP lawmaker said shows a "perverted agenda."

Other issues of the DEI agenda included professors hosting a workshop in which they discussed promoting "anti-racism" and rooting out "problematic" ideas.

A former donor named Mo Anderson delivered a letter to the president – Joseph Harroz Jr. – in 2021, obtained by Fox News Digital, accusing the institution of promoting Marxism.

"OU has embedded a Marxist-derived worldview in its colleges via so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) programs that foster racial and social division. OU’s DEI efforts produce the opposite of diversity and inclusion. Mainstream Oklahomans know they will now be labeled 'privileged' individuals regardless of life circumstances, meaning OU is not a welcoming place for all students."

"As a proud Oklahoman, I cannot support the deliberate destruction of our state’s future. I will not donate to OU’s academic efforts any longer," the letter continued.

A former donor named Susan Bergen said that its far-left curricula affected teachers trained in its programs. "We were 35 years donating," and averaging $50,000 a year, she said.

"They train the teachers for the state of Oklahoma. So we count on them to put out quality teachers. Right. And what they're doing is sending a lot of woke people that believe if somehow White people are bad and wrong."

In 2020, the university launched a mandatory course called "managing bias" which addressed racial identities, power, and privilege, according to the announcement.

"I think that everybody ought to be treated with respect and that we ought to spread love and kindness," said John Brock, who says he donated about $2 million to the university over the years. Brock served in the U.S. Army Artillery in Korea from 1953 to 1955 and began his career in the oil business with Shell Oil Company in 1955. Thereafter, he became a successful leader in the petroleum industry.

"And they have a requirement that you go to a three-hour class to graduate… that teaches people that if you're a White person, you're guilty of racism, even though you don't think so."

As a result of this course, which was implemented in 2020, he is no longer donating to the institution.

"And they teach people that no matter how hard they work and why people are going to keep them down. I don't think any of those things are true, in my opinion," he said.

"You know, I think they call it wokeness. That's the whole problem. In the first place they don't need to people want to think anyhow. So I think the course was not harmful, which I think it is. I think it was not necessary," he added. "I think that we need to treat people equally and treat everybody with respect, spread kindness and love, reject hate and resentment and practice forgiveness."

The president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Jonathan Small said, "Students, parents and taxpayers deserve better than the continued advance of destructive far-left ideologies constantly advanced and facilitated by the employed leadership at OU."

"The continuance of this behavior is just confirmation that only one thing will cause the destructive behavior to stop, which is for both donors and lawmakers to completely withdraw funding until OU’s employed leadership gets the message and changes course," Small continued.

The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The donors are exactly correct; they will be labeled racist, right wing radicals, and any number of derogatory names. Never fear OU; I’m sure Soros and friends can make up the deficit. The systematic destruction of America must continue.

Sad that this ridiculous DEI bullshit has a toehold even in Oklahoma.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Sad that this ridiculous DEI bullshit has a toehold even in Oklahoma.

Not something I expected to hear from OK. Lived there for 10 years and still have family there. As knowledge of their "die" policy becomes more widespread, I expect a strong opposition and some backpedaling from OU.

If only these big donors ha caught on to this earlier.

I suspect the legislature will put a stop to this, shortly. Surprised the students haven’t.

Oklahoma is possibly the most conservative state in the union. This is surprising but not too surprising. It's happening at virtually every university.

I stopped contributing to my alma maters long ago. Universities have become cesspools of leftism.

RMD

Exactly why I have not given a dime to my alma mater. On top of the fact it’s a public school already being supported by my taxes, The university admin were commies when I was going there 25 years ago and it’s full lunacy now. The head of the department of my major however was a great professor for several classes I took and was very rational and libertarian leaning. Ran for state office a few years ago. I gave a very small amount directly to the campaign(didn’t win).

This needs to happen more frequently. Colleges and universities used to be a place where one went to learn, be challenged, develop the ability to think for yourself and find the path that was right for you.

Now it appears they are just indoctrination centers for the left where students are shown the true path, told that others will think for them, and lord forbid anyone challenge you.

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Oklahoma is possibly the most conservative state in the union. This is surprising but not too surprising. It's happening at virtually every university.

And specifically medical universities, many have been doing this DEI shit for years. I know a guy, has been in his dept. for decades, full professorship, one of the mentors, and he was passed over for Dept. Chair, they instead promoted a black woman with less than 10 years in medicine. This was two years ago, I heard he took early retirement last year, he had enough.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
"I'm not happy with where they're headed," a neurosurgeon named Christopher Boxell said." The diversity, equity and inclusion, which I think is better named DIE ...

I don't understand why critics haven't referred to it as "DIE" all along. The very first time I saw "DEI" my mind immediately reordered it to "DIE."

I *hope* people wake up and realize this inclusion, woke bull shit is… well, shit. Similar to how the masses realized black live matter was a scam.

I have a working theory that Oklahoma is more Texas than Texas. I think you know what I mean by that.

I lived in Texas for 35 years, Oklahoma for 15. People outside Texas like to think of it as conservative and that still exists in the small towns but the big cities no longer are.

You can freely discuss politics and social issues and express your conservative viewpoint in Oklahoma and nearly everyone agrees. Democrats are so rare they rarely bring up their opinion.

I was totally unaware of what was going on at my alma mater. They can kiss-off any money from me.

quote:

Originally posted by ibanda:
I have a working theory that Oklahoma is more Texas than Texas. I think you know what I mean by that.

I lived in Texas for 35 years, Oklahoma for 15. People outside Texas like to think of it as conservative and that still exists in the small towns but the big cities no longer are.

You can freely discuss politics and social issues and express your conservative viewpoint in Oklahoma and nearly everyone agrees. Democrats are so rare they rarely bring up their opinion.

You're right about the big cities in Texas. Too many Lefties have moved into them, and that's where the colleges are.

My Democrat Congressman is planning to run for Senate against Cruz. I hope he does, and loses. Maybe that way I can get a different Congressman.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
You're right about the big cities in Texas. Too many Lefties have moved into them, and that's where the colleges are.

One thing to keep in mind, the big Democrat cities in TX; Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso- their total combined population is approx. 6.5 million, with 60-65% registered Dems. The state has a population of almost 30 million, the vast majority in rural counties. The rural counties are keeping TX red- every state offices, the Supreme Court, Appeals Court, majority of House and Senate- all red, also US Senate and majority of US House. The big issue is that many Republicans have not voted in the last couple of elections, especially 2022; millions stayed home.

quote:

The rural counties are keeping TX red- every state offices, the Supreme Court, Appeals Court, majority of House and Senate- all red, also US Senate and majority of US House. The big issue is that many Republicans have not voted in the last couple of elections, especially 2022; millions stayed home.

Trying to get them to vote is not a winning strategy though. Take it from a Michigander. We have tons of people that are liberty loving, less-government-leaning, and self-sufficient.

Trying to get all of the people with 10-1000 acres of land to vote is only one small piece.

There must be proactive movement INTO the cities and schools. Proactive messaging extolling the financial freedom and personal liberty that comes with lifestyle and values choices reflected by the self-sufficient people that typically vote "red".

The left is a non-stop ballot driving machine. Simply getting conservatives out to vote is a long-term losing strategy. We did that in Michigan and we've lost a lot. The MGOP is also a party of "Bush" politics, which also means a perpetual state of "graceful losses" right up until its extinction.

Norman has become a very liberal area.

Norman elected an uber-liberal young female Mayor a few years ago. Total disaster. She was recently voted OUT the last election cycle.

I saw a video yesterday of a State Lawmaker on the Appropriations Committee, totally outraged, saying that if OU could spend $18,000 on such a stupid stunt, then OU's next appropriation time could be slashed drastically.
I believe the State Legislators have the will to kick OU's ass, they certainly have the power and means to do so and I hope they do.

OU, like many colleges, keeps raising tuition and fees, over and over, and keeps on building more and more fancy buildings and such. It's disgusting how "Education" everywhere seems to have a never ending voracious appetite for more $$$. That is not an isolated thing, it's everywhere.

When I was selecting what University to attend, as a young man many years ago, I considered OU.

Fortunately I was admitted to a small private university in the OKC Metro area. It was then a very conservative small private university that did a very good job of preparing and graduating students. Unfortunately, as it is nowadays, even that university has gone ultra liberal too.

Liberalism is an awful disease and ruins everything it touches. It's disgusting.
.

Meanwhile in Florida:
Florida Gov. DeSantis signs bill eliminating DEI programs at colleges, universities