Monday, June 14, 2021
Staff Reporter
Murphy Mitchell
Longtime Oklahoma State University professor Earl Mitchell, the university’s first Black tenured professor, died June 2 at his home in Stillwater after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 83. Mitchell joined OSU as a research associate in 1967, received tenure status in 1982 and was well respected in his field. He also held highly regarded administrative positions such as assistant dean of the graduate college and associate vice president for multicultural affairs. He retired in 2009. “Dr. Mitchell was a fantastic mentor, an outstanding biochemist, a great listener and always had your best interest at heart,” Janet Rogers, manager of the OSU Biochemistry and Molecular Biology CORE Facility, told OSU
communications. “It didn’t matter who you were. He always had the gift of connecting with people.” “If you were down, he would find a way to inspire you. His smile, his warmth, his voice — they just lit up a room.” Mitchell was known for his advocacy for underrepresented students. Jason Kirksey, OSU’s vice president for institutional diversity, loved this aspect of Mitchell. “Engagement is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of Dr. Mitchell, for he continued to work on behalf of underrepresented students and OK-LSAMP long after he retired,” Kirksey said. “Students were able to see themselves in him. He was the success story and was able to communicate the importance of so many things, just by having a conversation.” See Earl on pg.2
Biden presses G-7 allies for bolder front Eli Stokols
CARBIS BAY, England — President Joe Biden pressed allies in other leading democracies on Saturday to work together to combat China’s growing global influence over developing countries. The centerpiece of the effort is an “infrastructure bank” to offer those nations billions in public and private financing for major projects, offering an alternative to China’s
Belt and Road Initiative that has dramatically increased the autocracy’s sway in dozens of smaller countries across the globe. It would mark the first major response by the United States and others in the Group of 7 nations — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy — to the initiative launched by China in 2013. Unlike the Belt and Road Initiative, which has been criticized for its opaque bidding processes and reliance on low-interest loans that have put borrowing nations at the mercy of Chinese banks and contractors, the U.S.-led initiative would aim to
be “values-driven, transparent and sustainable,” said one senior Biden administration official, outlining the plan for reporters on condition of anonymity. “This is not about making countries choose between us and China,” the official said. “This is about offering an affirmative and positive vision that they would want to choose.” In addition to requiring new infrastructure projects be as environmentally sustainable as possible, the venture would also forbid any use of forced labor. European leaders have been
somewhat reluctant to fully align themselves with America’s increasingly confrontational posture toward China. Given their closer economic ties to Beijing, they have been more eager to join forces behind the scenes to work on issues such as intellectual property protections and trade. While allies were eager to join forces on the infrastructure financing venture, some were more hesitant when it comes to delivering the forceful condemnation of China’s use of forced labor that Biden has See G-7 on pg.3