Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am writing to announce that last Friday, January 18, 2018 at 5:00pm, I was removed from the position of Dean of the David L. Boren College of International Studies at the University of Oklahoma. After many months of trying to prevent the new administration from minimizing international education at the university and significantly reducing support for study abroad, global awareness, international student services and multicultural inclusion, President Gallogly and Provost Harper terminated my position as Dean. Moreover, because I spoke out on matters of public concern regarding the OU Board of Regents’ hiring process last spring, and the subsequent selection of President Gallogly via a secret search, I have been removed from my position in retaliation for being outspoken. Despite being terminated from the Dean position, however, I will continue to serve the university as a tenured full professor in the Department of International and Area Studies. I am beyond grateful for the more than 10 years I have worked diligently and faithfully on behalf of OU’s international community, and I will continue to do all I can to fight for openness, diversity, inclusion and equity at the University of Oklahoma.
Sincerely,
Suzette R. Grillot, PhD
