A local lawmaker has asked a legislative committee to sign on to a letter expressing concern about the University of Wyoming’s “woke attitude.”
Wyoming Rep. John Winter, R-Thermopolis, who represents a portion of Fremont County, presented the letter to the Wyoming Legislature’s Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee last month, asking them to “endorse it and send it on to the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees.”
The letter focuses on the UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, questioning a recent change in administrative leadership there.
“No explanation of substance for this action has been given, and we understand that an effort is being made to recruit new leadership completely alien to Wyoming values and ideals,” Winter said, reading the letter. “Our fear is that the woke attitude (expressed) by our university leadership will seek to replace our College of Agriculture leadership position from outside our state, where Wyoming values have little to no relevance to the selection criteria. …
“We need leadership with deep ties to agriculture and at least some consideration of Wyoming candidates.”
The letter also mentions UW’s involvement with a physician in Casper “who specializes in gender transformation surgeries” as well as other “gender identity issues” that have arisen on campus, Winter read.
“Why would any Wyoming parents allow their children to attend an institution of higher learning that is advocating for this woke agenda?” he asked, calling on the UW Board of Trustees to “respond to these concerns and do what is necessary to correct any activities which are foreign to Wyoming values.”
Outside audit?
Winter’s letter specifically asked UW to have an “outside audit” performed – a request that drew questions from the Ag Committee last month.
“What is the scope of the audit?” Wyoming Rep. Jon Conrad, R-Mountain View, asked. “What is the basis for (it)?”
In response, Winter said he would like to see an audit performed that would give the public more information about “what the university has as far as funding.”
“We just keep pumping money into the university with no idea where it’s going or what they’re doing with it,” he said. “I think it’s appropriate that we, as (a) committee, request that we do have an outside and independent audit. … A complete audit of the university funding should be attempted.”
Wyoming Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, said he would like more information about UW’s current external audit process before including that request in the letter.
“I’m really uncomfortable about talking about an audit,” Kolb said. “That’s just a nebulous term.”
Wyoming Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, suggested the committee consider “narrowing the scope” of the letter to focus more on “returning to our land-grant mission” at UW, leaving the “audit component” for a later discussion.
“I agree the woke agenda is a real problem,” she said. “A lot of us have been concerned about … how they’re spending their money, where it’s going, and having a little more accountability.”
Wyoming Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper, said a proposed future audit could study the amount of facility funding the College of Agriculture receives from UW, and Steinmetz – who co-chairs the Ag Committee – said she “would be glad to investigate that and see what we might come up with.”
Winter said he would work with Steinmetz and other committee leadership to “refine” the letter for their next meeting, which is scheduled to take place Sept. 10-11 in Buffalo.
“That’s why I came to you to get some input,” he said. “There’s been a lot of nonsense going on (at UW), and I just wanted to bring it out.”