Echoing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ moves in May that blocked public colleges from using federal or state funding on diversity programs, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed an executive order Wednesday with much of the same.
Taking aim at Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in state agencies and higher education, Stitt signed Executive Order 2023-31, which was billed in a statement as “implementing greater protections for Oklahomans and their tax dollars.”
The order requires “state agencies and institutes for higher education to initiate a review of DEI positions, departments, activities, procedures, and programs to eliminate and dismiss non-critical personnel,” the statement said.
