As a Boise State University professor faces a backlash over his comments about feminists, the university issued a statement Wednesday in support of women.

“Women have made significant and meaningful contributions to all areas of academia, industry, and society,” the statement said, in part. “Women belong on our campus, and we affirm the broad range of ways they work and live in the world.”

The statement was emailed to the Boise State community Wednesday and posted on social media. President Marlene Tromp and 21 university administrators signed it.

Boise State political science professor Scott Yenor has come under fire for a speech he delivered at a conservative conference in Florida. During his speech, Yenor criticized women for putting marriage and family on hold in favor of mid-level jobs — a life choice that he says has left women “more medicated, meddlesome and quarrelsome than (they) need to be.”

The Oct. 31 speech has drawn scrutiny over the past week — as Yenor’s comments have been shared, and lampooned, on social media.

In a previous statement, Boise State declined to criticize Yenor, a tenured professor who has taught at Boise State since 2000.

“The university cannot infringe upon the First Amendment rights of any members of our community, regardless of whether we, as individual leaders, agree or disagree with the message,” Boise State said in this statement.