Nearly 300 Ohio University alumni signed a letter to OU President Lori Stewart Gonzalez in regard to the cancellation of the Black Alumni Reunion and Women’s History Month event. The signatories come from multiple countries, 27 states and Washington, D.C., and span seven decades of students. Read the letter below.
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President Lori Stewart Gonzalez
108 Cutler Hall
Athens, Ohio 45701
president@ohio.edu
March 13, 2025
Dear President Gonzalez,
Many of us, the undersigned, have never been good at quietly standing by when we see someone being bullied. And we couldn’t stay quiet now that Ohio University has canceled the Black Alumni Reunion and a Women’s History Month event. It’s deeply disappointing — and frankly alarming — that our alma mater would call off these gatherings based on the attendees’ race or gender.
We understand that universities are navigating financial pressures in the face of political threats. President Trump’s decision to revoke $400 million in funding from Columbia University over campus protests is a clear warning shot, and we recognize the fear these actions create. But no laws currently require universities to cancel diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Preemptively complying with anti-diversity rhetoric is a dangerous precedent. History is filled with examples — from Germany to the Philippines, Russia to South Africa — where such actions have emboldened authoritarian regimes.
Actually, we learned many of these historical lessons in our classes at OU. We chose the university for its renowned programs. And some of us have gone on to build partnerships with current OU programs, to expose students to careers across the professions they’re hoping to pursue. However, these cancellations give us all pause; they make us question whether the values we hold still align with the university we once chose with pride.
Your March 3 statement in response to student and faculty organizers on Ohio Senate Bill 1 is appreciated. We’re also grateful that, unlike Ohio State University, OU has not yet halted DEI programs. But we urge you: Do not comply with anti-diversity directives from the state or federal government unless they are legally mandated. Please also help us understand why the Black Alumni Reunion and Women’s History Month events were canceled. Because right now, it looks as though our alma mater is yielding to intimidation and falling in line with bullies. That leaves us with a mix of anger, sadness, and deep concern about what this means for our shared future.
