Wichita State orders employees to remove 'gender identifying pronouns' from email signatures

A Kansas public university is taking greater steps to combat DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) on its campus.

Wichita State University employees have been ordered to remove “gender identifying pronouns or gender ideology” from school email accounts signatures as part of compliance with a state law.

Kansas lawmakers recently passed the state budget for fiscal year 2026, Senate Bill 125, which includes a section prohibiting state agencies and public universities from maintaining Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) offices or promoting “gender ideology.” The prohibitions include DEI positions, required DEI trainings, and DEI contracts.

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Agencies must also remove “gender identifying pronouns or gender ideology from email signature blocks on state employee’s email accounts and any other form of communication.”

Wichita State provost Monica Lounsbery announced the new requirements on May 12, according to The Sunflower, the school’s student-run newspaper. Faculty and staff must make changes before July 15.

The university is also reviewing its web page dedicated to Inclusive Excellence. 

“WSU seeks to be a campus that reflects and promotes — in all community members — the evolving diversity of society,” the page says.” As of publication, a notice appears at the top of page, stating: “This content is being reviewed in light of recent changes to state and federal laws, orders, and guidance.”

This is the second recent change that Wichita State has made following S.B. 125. 

The university canceled segregated graduation ceremonies earlier this month. 

Ultimately, a multicultural graduation and a ceremony for LGTBQ-identifying students were combined into one event, which anyone, regardless of identity, can attend.

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Many colleges and universities have made changes to their policies following anti-DEI laws. 

Ohio University recently announced that it was sunsetting its DEI offices. State lawmakers recently passed Senate Bill 1, prohibiting public money from funding DEI initiatives. 

“The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act requires that we no longer operate a Division of Diversity and Inclusion, and as such, over the next several weeks, we will sunset the division, including the Multicultural Center, the Pride Center and the Women’s Center,” the university said in an announcement.

Similarly, the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky have had to cut back DEI activities, including eliminating identity-based graduation ceremonies.

Campus Reform contacted Wichita State University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.