OSU Announces New Diversity Council After Mike Gundy Photo Controversy

Thursday, June 25th 2020, 6:27 am

By: Katelyn Ogle

Stillwater -

Oklahoma State University created a Council for Diversity and Inclusion inside its athletics department, just a week after the university’s top running back demanded change inside the program.

OSU said the council’s goal is to spread the university’s promise to create a culture of diversity and inclusion and create lasting change.

The university said this council will be a permanent part of the athletics department and will be made up of current OSU students and alumni.

OSU’s Vice President of Institutional Diversity and Chief Diversity officer, Dr. Jason Kirksey, will be the chairman.

This council was created just a week after the nation’s 2019 top running back Chuba Hubbard threatened to boycott the athletics program. That was in response to a social media photo of head football coach Mike Guny wearing a One American News T-shirt while Black Lives Matter protests were happening all across the country.

OAN is known as a right-wing news network that often criticizes the Black Lives Matter movement.

Gundy and Hubbard later released a joint video, promising change would be coming to the athletics department.

In a statement, Doctor Kirksey said over the past decade OSU has worked to become more diverse and inclusive. He said although OSU still has a lot of work to do it’s dedicated to change.