2025 State of Kansas Senate Bill 125

In spring 2025, the Kansas legislature passed and the Governor signed into law 2025 Senate Bill 125. Section 161 of the Senate Bill contains a proviso (Kansas Senate Bill 125, section 161, page 254 (pdf)) that required the Kansas Department of Administration to certify that state agencies were in compliance with a set of outlined requirements, specifically relating to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, on August 1, 2025.

The Kansas Board of Regents, or KBOR, issued guidance to institutions (pdf) under its governance — which includes Kansas State University — requiring their compliance with a specific legislative action passed during the 2025 legislative session.

Guidance from the Kansas Board of Regents

• For the purposes of compliance, KBOR ‘s guidance defines DEI as “the use of state sponsored grants or contracts, and university positions, mandates, policies, required employee trainings, programs or activities (“University Activities”), where such University Activities are intended to intentionally give preference to individuals or groups, to the exclusion of others, on the basis of race, color, or national origin. University Activities shall not include curriculum, instruction, or research.”
• Further, KBOR stipulated that “programs focused on interests in particular cultures, heritages, and areas of the world do not in and of themselves violate Title VI, assuming they are open to all students regardless of race, color, or national origin. Additionally, educational and/or cultural observances that celebrate historical events and contributions or promote awareness do not fall under the definition of DEI as long as they are open to all regardless of race, color, or national origin.”
• Under these definitions, the university advises all faculty and staff to continue to approach each contract, position, mandate, policy, training, program or activity by ensuring it is open and available to all regardless of race, color or national origin. Faculty and students are also encouraged to continue the practice of robust civil discourse under academic freedom in the classroom and academic settings.

Actions for faculty, staff and student employees

• It’s important to understand that K-State email accounts are subject to these state requirements (cf. PPM 3410), as K-State is under the governance of the State of Kansas and provides email accounts for official university business use only.
• All faculty, staff and university employees were asked to review and update their signature block accordingly by July 31, 2025.
• To make this action as simple as possible, the university created an email signature guidance page, which offers an email signature generator. Additionally, instructions in the K-State Knowledge Base regarding how to change email signatures in either the Outlook app or Outlook for web were made available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Definitions

• In the proviso language, it mentions gender ideology. What does gender ideology include?
  “Gender ideology” refers to a belief that human individuals are properly described by their gender identity that may differ from their sex assigned at birth. Common ways of showing support for gender ideology include disclosing one’s gender identity or pronouns in everyday communication or the display of Progress Pride flags.

Resources

• What are some email signature block guidelines to utilize?
  Your email signature represents your business role at the university and Kansas State University. To provide clarity, consistency and professionalism, your position title and contact information, including email, phone, mailing and physical address, are appropriate for email signatures. Visit the university emails signature standards to learn more and update your signature.

Enforcement

• How will the proviso relating to personal pronouns or gender ideology be enforced?
  We expect everyone who is a K-State employee (faculty, staff and student employees) and who utilizes an email signature to comply with the proviso. Each employee is asked to remove pronouns and/or gender ideology from K-State email signature blocks, business cards or other forms of official university communication. Failure to comply with the proviso requirements may result in restricted technology access and/or discipline in accordance with applicable university policies. (cf. PPM 3410.070)
• As a supervisor, how do I handle employees who do not comply with the proviso regarding personal pronouns or gender ideology?
  Employees are expected to comply with the personal pronoun and gender ideology proviso requirement as a condition of employment.
  Employees who do not comply should be reminded of the proviso by their supervisor and provided resources as needed. If, after additional resources are shared, an employee refuses to comply, you may contact Employee Relations & Engagement to assist with guidance around disciplinary action as needed.

Implementation

• Can I use my own personal email address in lieu of my K-State email to reflect my personal pronouns?
  Per PPM 3410, faculty and staff must use University email accounts for official University business communications in accordance with defined policies. University email accounts are those with the domain name @k-state.edu or other University-approved vanity domain names used by specific departments or units for official purposes.
• Are employees required to get new business cards if their current cards have personal pronouns or other gender ideology?
  An employee may finish out their current package of business cards, but when ordering new ones personal pronouns are not allowed on business cards for Kansas State University employees.
• Are employees required to remove personal pronouns and other gender ideology from nametags, office door name plates, etc.?
  Yes, an employee will need to replace the nametag, office door name plate, etc.
• Are personal pronouns allowed on faculty websites?
  University websites including faculty websites may not contain personal pronouns or other gender ideology.
• Are students required to comply with the proviso?
  

  Yes. Any student who is also an employee of the university must comply with the proviso when sending an email in their capacity as a K-State employee. This includes instances where a student employee is working in a university office or works as a student assistant, GTA, GRA, or GA and is conducting university business.

  Students who are sending an email in their capacity as a student only, such as academic or class interactions, campus activities and clubs, or emails related to their activities as a student, may use pronouns in their signature.