Executive orders came from the Trump Administration cracking down on studies “promoting gender ideology” and “promoting diversity” — directly threatening the foundation of Oregon State University’s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program.

Released on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, the orders aimed to “restore biological truth” while “restoring merit-based opportunity.” This struck fear in OSU’s WGSS program as their mission to “research to better understand differences in power and privilege” came under Federal scrutiny with Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives being disassembled.

“I think (WGSS leaders are) all concerned about the ways the current administration is attempting to dismantle initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campuses,” said Professor and Graduate Coordinator Patti Duncan in an email.

Such concerns have reached an administrative level on the OSU campus with Vice President of University Relations and Marketing Rob Odom stating in an email, “OSU will continue to advocate for the academic freedom rights of its faculty.”

However, the Jan. 20 order raises other concerns. “Basing Federal policy on truth is critical to scientific inquiry, public safety, morale, and trust in government itself,” the order states. Thus the question remains on how academic programs directly going against these “truths” that “sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality” can retain crucial government funding.

According to Odom, funding within the WGSS program “is externally funded by a variety of sources including federal and state grants and private foundations.”

Currently, Duncan highlighted the private foundation supporting educational workshops and lectures within WGSS — a grant by the Mellon Foundation called Affirming Multivocal Humanities.

While these private groups help support the program, Trump’s executive order states that Federal funds will be monitored by agencies to “ensure grant funds do not promote gender ideology,” leaving the future of WGSS funding with no direct answer.

The executive order defines gender ideology as “the idea that there is a vast spectrum of genders that are disconnected from one’s sex.” The classes designed to fit the WGSS curriculum directly fall under the federal funding cuts outlined in the executive order.

Duncan showed selections within the school of WGSS noting that classes cover a wide range of topics such as resisting gender violence; gender and science; queer theories; transgender politics; women of color feminisms; politics of motherhood; and gender and transnational activism.

In an email, Duncan described WGSS courses as built to help students “understand power dynamics and make sense of the world around them,” emphasizing the importance of protecting the department. Odom responds similarly in an email stating, “OSU is committed in principle and action to upholding academic freedom.”

This academic freedom includes “the ability for faculty to teach, research and speak on topics related to their academic expertise.”

Though the future is uncertain in terms of DEI standards and Federal funding on campus, “(OSU) continues to monitor and respond to new guidance and federal actions,” said Odom in a school-wide address. Duncan mirrors this sentiment noting that the WGSS program remains strong in set values of equity.

“We remain committed to supporting students of color, queer and trans students, students with disabilities, students without US citizenship, and all the students who enroll in our classes,” said Duncan on behalf of the WGSS department.

Odom urged students and faculty to contact the Division of Research and Innovation at sponsored.programs@oregonstate.edu for WGSS grant research concerns, and directed OSU community members towards contacting “the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access with concerns about discrimination or discriminatory harassment, or the Bias Response Team with concerns about bias.”