Higher Education

Is the OSU staffer who intimidated a conservative student still employed?

November 17, 2025

Ray Carter

An Oklahoma State University employee who chastised a student for honoring conservative activist and Christian apologist Charlie Kirk, warning the student that “this year is going to be difficult for you,” remains employed at the university, according to multiple sources.

Josh Wilson, a junior at Oklahoma State University, was berated by Melissa Echols, OSU’s coordinator of student government affairs programs, after he chose to honor Kirk at a Sept. 10 OSU student government meeting, conducted the same day Kirk was assassinated.

During his comments at the meeting, Wilson wore a hat provided by Turning Point USA, Kirk’s group, which included indirect references to President Donald Trump. In his remarks, Wilson touted the importance of dialogue and debate. He did not reference Trump, advocate for the election of any political figure, or call for support of any political party.

Even so, Echols subsequently claimed wearing the Turning Point USA hat violated student government rules on nonpartisanship and told Wilson people could be “triggered” by the hat.

When Wilson defended his use of the hat, Echols declared, “‘But’ cannot be the end of every statement. That’s not a learned lesson. It cannot just be, ‘yes, but’—cannot be every response that you give me. Otherwise, this year is going to be difficult for you.”

OSU officials later acknowledged that Echols’ claims about student-government rules were false. The organization has no official policies to restrict partisan expression.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs was the first entity to report on the incident on Oct. 6 in a story that included recordings of Echols’ comments.

The event drew national and international publicity, including a warning from officials with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who warned that Echols’ actions may have a chilling effect that amounts to an institutional infringement of students’ free-speech rights.

Former OSU students subsequently reported that Echols had a history of hostility towards conservative students.

However, it appears that Echols remains employed at OSU, based on sources familiar with the situation, although it is not known if she has been retained as a student-government advisor.

When asked about Echols’ employment status, an OSU spokesman said an open-records request would be required to obtain that information. The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs filed an open-records request to learn if Echols remains on staff and, if so, her job title and salary. As of publication, no response has been provided. Echols is still listed on OSU’s online directory.

‘President Hess Has a Clear Choice’

If Echols remains on staff at OSU, it could lead some lawmakers to seek to reduce state funding for the college.

On Oct. 13, state legislative members of the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus sent a notice to Oklahoma State University President Dr. Jim Hess, demanding Echols’ immediate firing.

In the letter, the Caucus said placement on administrative leave was an inadequate response, likening it to a “brief taxpayer-funded hiatus.”

“This is not acceptable,” the letter stated. “Audio evidence shows that Echols lacks the discernment and judgment for any OSU role, especially influencing young minds. Vague responses like ‘a mistake was made, and we’ve taken steps to ensure it won’t happen again’ won’t suffice. An egregious incident occurred, and in response to the actions of Melisa Echols, her employment must be terminated immediately.”

The lawmakers said state funding for colleges should be examined, saying that taxpayers “should not and will not continue paying to have employees that violate the rights of students.”

“As we look to best protect the funds of taxpayers in next year’s budget, rest assured we will take into consideration how our university systems are protecting the rights of their students, and how swiftly and in what manner they correct any violations of those rights,” the lawmakers’ letter stated.

“Oklahoma’s public universities must be bastions of free speech, not ideological battlegrounds where faculty bully students for their politics,” said state Sen. Randy Grellner, a Cushing Republican whose district includes OSU. “President Hess has a clear choice: Fire Echols now or face serious questions about OSU’s funding priorities when we convene next session. Taxpayers deserve better than subsidizing censorship on campus.”