OSU Launches Diversity and Inclusion Council After Mike Gundy Controversy

The Oklahoma State University athletic department announced the formation of a Council For Diversity and Inclusion on Wednesday. 

Dr. Jason Kirksey, the school's vice president for institutional diversity and its chief diversity officer, will chair the council, which is going to become a "permanent entity" for the department. It will also include other school officials, current student-athletes, alumni and other members of the campus community.

Kirksey released a statement about the new group:

"OSU is a land-grant institution with an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion. Over the past decade, OSU has emerged as a national leader and a role model across higher education and beyond. While we still have work to do, the establishment of athletics' Council For Diversity and Inclusion is a significant and genuine effort to broaden and deepen the university's commitment to a culture of inclusion. The council is our most recent structural engagement to effect meaningful and lasting change across the OSU Family."

Chad Weiberg, OSU's deputy athletic director, also commented on the new initiative.

"We are grateful that Dr. Kirksey has agreed to lead our efforts moving forward," he said. "The athletic department could make a lot of promises and declarations about what we will be doing, but our future actions will speak for us. Under Dr Kirksey's leadership, we will be very intentional in our efforts, but our driving goal will be to get better."

The announcement comes in wake of Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy being criticized for wearing a shirt with the logo of OAN, a right-wing news network, in a photo posted on social media.

Gundy issued an apology, saying he was "disgusted" by OAN's stance against the Black Lives Matter movement and he promised "positive changes" to the OSU football program:

Gundy previously endorsed the network, especially its coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, calling it "refreshing" after criticizing mainstream media coverage of the pandemic.

The 52-year-old Oklahoma native, who played quarterback at the school in the 1980s, has been the Cowboys' head coach since 2005.