'Deepest apology.' OU's pause means female, Black students won't get $450K in scholarships

Editor's note:Excluded from the long list of scholarships award at The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism's April 23 awards banquet were $46,000 in scholarships designated for minority and female students. University wide, about $450,000 in scholarships in those and other categories will not be awarded.

Eddith A. Dashiell is the director of the journalism school. She gave the speech below about the E.W. Scripp's 12 unawarded scholarships.

Over the last few years, we have seen a growing backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion. That backlash has reached higher education.  

States like Oklahoma and Florida have abolished DEI offices, programs and curriculum. 

As of tonight, Ohio does not have such a law. 

There is no state law preventing Ohio University from continuing its DEI efforts and making our campus a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students —especially students from underrepresented groups, who were born here and are also citizens of the United States.

OHIO News has published numerous articles demonstrating its commitment to diversity and its successful DEI efforts.

In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision focus on race-based admissions policies. 

In January 2024, we were quietly told that this 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision was being stretched to apply to race-based/diversity scholarships. All diversity-based scholarships were being “paused.”

What is the impact on E.W. Scripps school of Journalism

Twelve scholarships totaling more than $46,000 will not be rewarded.

Why? 

According to the Columbus media’s coverage of the university’s decision to pause the awarding of diversity scholarships for 24-25 school year was based on advice from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. It was quoted as saying race-based scholarships discriminate against white students.

Seriously?

This is Athens, Ohio.  

Racial makeup of OU's journalism school

• This year: 419 journalism majors
• African American: 18 students
• Native American: zero
• Asian American: 4 students
• Hispanic/Latino: 23 students
• Whites:  354 students

How can 12 scholarships discriminate against white students who make up 84% of our majors?

We may not be able to award these scholarships, but the donors deserve to be honored and thanked, anyway.

$46,000 in scholarship not going to Black, female and other OU journalism students

∎ One scholarship was established by former associate dean of the college Dee Dee Riffe. The Eliza Al-corn Clark Memorial Scholarship honors Dr. Riffe’s grandmother. 

Last year we honored Dee Dee’s grandmother by awarding a $900 scholarship to an African American sophomore. This year we cannot honor her grandmother because we are not allowed to award the Eliza Alcorn Clark Scholarship. I expect Dee Dee will be contacting me soon when she realizes that she has not received her thank you note.

∎ Margaret McKechnie is a 1966 graduate of Scripps. 

She spent most of her career working in communications for the banking industry and wanted to give back to young women coming up in journalism. Last year we awarded two Margaret A. McKechnie Scholarships to two of our female students who were from out of state. Race was not part of the criteria. 

Each scholarship was $6,000 each. This year: No McKechnie scholarships.

∎ Edward J. Martin Memorial Scholarship awarded to a student who works in print journalism and has financial need.  Preference was to go to a student who was Native American. Not a requirement.  We have awarded the Martin Memorial Scholarship for years to students interested in print journalism with financial need. 

Doubtful every student was of indigenous descent. This year: no student will get this $2,000 scholarship.

∎The Ford Scholar Award is intended for minority student with financial need. A thousand dollars was awarded last year. This year the Ford Scholarship goes to no student.  

∎The Frances and Margaret Channell Scholarship honors mother and daughter alums of the school. Frances worked as a reporter and teacher. Maggie spent many years working in administrative positions on campus. 

∎Last year the Channell Scholarship was $5,000, which went to a female who lived in a specific area of Ohio.  This year no student will receive the award.

∎ Long-time former director, Dr. Ralph Izard was a strong advocate for diversity in the school. 

He was the director who hired me. There was a time when we had as many as eight African American faculty in the school.  Dr. Izard’s generosity was part of a scholarship which has been supplemented by many former Posties to create the Ralph Izard—Post Scholarship.  

The primary criterion was that the student work for The Post. Preference was to have been given to a minority student—but that was not a requirement. Last year’s winner received a $2,100 scholarship. This year no Postie will receive the Izard-Post Scholarship.

∎ Another one of our diversity scholarships honors one of the Scripps J-School and Post newspaper’s most distinguished alums, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and columnist Clarence Page.

The donor noted that “it is hoped the recipients of this scholarship will exhibit the qualities that brought Page success and enabled him to improve the trajectory of American journalism.” 

Goal was help increase diversity at The Post, but some of our past recipients have worked in other student media, and the donors have been pleased with the quality and caliber of our previous awardees.

For (the school of journalism's) centennial, donors chipped into to bump this award up. Last year, we were able to award two $6,000 scholarships.  For the 24-25 academic year, the Page Scholarship goes to no student. I have heard rumors that the donors are not happy.

∎ Andy Alexander worked with Clarence Page at The Post during their days here at OU.

Editor of The Post was his first journalism job and before retirement, one of his last was the ombudsman for the Washington Post. 

The Andrew Alexander Scholarship was for news and information major from an underrepresented group. For years we have awarded at least one Andy Alexander Scholarship.  Last year we awarded two Alexander scholarships in the amount of $3,000.  No Alexander Scholarship will be awarded for next academic year.

∎ Our students in the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism have also been blessed with support from the Scripps Howard Fund. 

Among the numerous scholarships the Scripps Fund has provided our students is the Scripps Multicultural Scholarship to help under-represented students pay for their education. Last year we awarded a $2,000 scholarship to a deserving student for the 23-24 academic year. For the 2024-25 academic year, however, there will be no Scripps Multicultural Scholarship award.

• 12 scholarships
• $46,000
• Not awarded.

On behalf of the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism: To our donors, please accept our deepest apology for our inability to share your generosity with our students for next academic year. 

We are grateful for your support of journalism education and your commitment to provide financial support to our underrepresented students who want to spend four years in a small town to attend a predominantly white institution because it has one of the best journalism programs in the country.

Eddith A. Dashiell is the director of E. W. Scripps School of Journalism.