Note: The Lawrence Times runs opinion columns and letters to the Times written by community members with varying perspectives on local issues. These pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Times staff.
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I am writing as a straight, cisgender, white man who uses he/him pronouns.
As a faculty member at the University of Kansas since 2020, I am profoundly disappointed by the directives issued by the KU chancellor curtailing free expression for faculty, staff and student employees. Including gender-affirming language in email and in other visible locations such as Zoom, online profiles and websites signals respect, safety and acceptance of our colleagues. Despite what a vocal minority in our society argues, including these markers harms no one. On the contrary, forcing the removal of these markers will directly harm many at our university.
Make no mistake, our campus is less safe with this decision. I acknowledge that these are difficult situations with many competing pressures, and the administration ultimately concluded that this decision must be made, but I am vehemently opposed to the message this sends to our campus community.
Related news article:
• In final push to boot DEI initiatives, KU tells employees to remove pronouns from email signatures, July 22, 2025
We expect our leaders to stand up for our university, its people, and for what is right. At a minimum, KU employees and students deserve full transparency around why this decision was made, including any directives from policymakers and the Kansas Board of Regents, deliberations among university leaders, and any conversations with the impacted campus groups that may have informed this decision.
The chancellor’s email closes by stating “At KU, we elevate the university and each other …” This action does the exact opposite. It elevates no one, and it tarnishes our university. We should be ashamed of turning our backs on our colleagues and erasing their identities. Whether KBOR or the state Legislature wants to acknowledge it, diversity is a fundamental feature of society and should be celebrated as a strength. Removing campus offices, staff positions, and text from emails only serves to further marginalize our colleagues and friends who are already targeted on a constant basis.
I, for one, remain steadfastly committed to fighting for the dignity of all of my colleagues, and will not waver from continuing to validate and celebrate their identities. Forgive me if I find the chancellor’s closing words to be hollow. After today’s directive, the elevation at KU feels embarrassingly low.
— Michael Amlung (he/him), Lawrence
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