Students at Missouri State University in Springfield are voicing their opinions following the news Wednesday morning that the office of inclusive engagement is being eliminated.
Taylor Tipton is one of those who is saddened by the news.
“As an African American student at a majority white institution, I’ve felt assisted by DEI," she said. "And, whether it affects every single person of color in the school or just a couple, it’s still very important to have, and it just breaks my heart that it’s going away.”
April Dyer supports the decision.
“I believe that that department or office, that can be something that students can do on their own, and I think that (President) Trump is probably balancing the budget, which I’m all in for," she said.
Missouri State student Grace Wasson disagreed with the decision to end DEI programs at the university.
“I really think that the feeling on campus today is everybody is really scared. I know a lot of people that are trying to find another job or seeing if they can, like, get loans from other places," she said, "and I think that nobody really knows what’s going to happen after this. My grandparents both worked here when it was still SMSU, and they talk about how, like, there was no diversity on campus. And I think that, for a long time Missouri State was seen as, like, not accessible to a lot of minorities, to a lot of people that didn’t have the resources. So I think that, like, the work that they do is really vital and has made this a much better campus.”
She said she knows people that are thinking of transferring.
McKenna O’Connor was also opposed to the university’s decision to end DEI programs.
“I think it’s an important part to a university, especially a university who wants to have inclusivity as, you know, one of their pillars for Missouri State.”
Missouri State President Biff Williams also announced the university is ending its support of the Collaborative Diversity Conference and the Inclusive Excellence Awards Gala.
In an email about ending the programs, he said MSU gets 38% of its funding from the state and that “for us to continue providing a quality education to our students, we must align with the expectations established by state leadership.”
Governor Mike Kehoe said in his State of the State Tuesday that he will not support diversity, equity and inclusion programs within state government in his administration.
A news release sent by Missouri State University Strategic Communications, quotes Williams as saying, “Despite these changes, Missouri State will continue to support all individuals on our campus, ensuring respect, fairness, open dialogue and shared opportunity."
A few students stood on the steps of the MSU administrative building, Carrington Hall, holding signs in protest of the decision and in protest of President Williams. They chanted, "Bears against Biff," but they declined to grant individual interviews to the media, including KSMU.
The NAACP Springfield Chapter issued a statement Wednesday in response to Missouri State University’s decision to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
In it, the chapter’s president Kai Sutton said they are “deeply disheartened and concerned” by the news and that they strongly disagree with the decision to eliminate the Office of Inclusive Engagement. Sutton said, “by eliminating this office, the university is effectively dismantling its ability to provide critical support services to students, faculty and staff from underrepresented communities.” She called on MSU to reconsider its decision.
*Story updated to include a quote from President Williams in a news release sent by the university.
