A new university in Texas, the University of Austin (UATX), is gaining attention for its ambitious plan to offer an alternative education compared to that of traditional colleges, with a special appreciation for free speech and objective “merit.”
The young university quickly raised $200 million dollars in funding from some of America’s wealthiest people throughout the past few years, many of whom are frustrated with what they see as ideological bias and a lack of open dialogue at “elite” universities.
Founded in 2021 to promote free speech and counter “woke” curriculum, UATX has even questioned the value of using the term “woke” when recently defining its identity as a school.
“Anti-woke’ is a poor term. Perhaps because ‘woke’ is as well. Both are often used to hide more than they reveal, misrepresenting rather than communicating honestly, the true mission of a university. Are we anti-anything? Yes. Anti-coercion. Anti-authoritarian. Anti-conformity. Anti-group think. Anti-cowardice. Opposed to having to pause to wonder if your social standing will go down if you ask the question on your mind. All who are willing to engage in conversation are welcome at UATX,” Dean Morgan Marietta said via X.
Regardless of the many definitions the media has thrown at the new university, the college is a lone-wolf, actively rejecting traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in favor of what it calls “MEI”: merit, excellence and intelligence.
“We don’t consider race, ethnicity, or gender in admissions. What matters most to us is the mind,” Pano Kanelos, president of the university recently told CBS.
Despite its small size, with only 92 students enrolled in its inaugural class this year, the university has garnered some big-time backing from a variety of high-profile donors. Some of the many donators include real estate developer Harlan Crow, hedge fund manager Jeff Yass and venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale, according to DailyMail.
Many of the university’s backers have been vocal about their frustration with the growing political leanings at America’s biggest universities, especially in the wake of recent national protests that have sparked debates about free speech on college campuses.
Specifically, after the October 7 Hamas attacks, which killed over 1,200 people, widespread protests erupted at multiple American colleges. In response, many of these big donors in academia began seeking alternative ways to contribute to the current system of higher education.
UATX current curriculum advertises a combination of classical education with a mix of modern principles and practical skills. In promotional materials, the school contrasts its calm, focused classrooms with the chaotic protests often seen at other campuses, hoping to showcase its commitment to re-inviting true dialogue and debate back onto college campuses. The school has even branded itself with the motto, “They burn, we build.”
The university’s fresh approach undoubtably offers a bold challenge to traditional college norms. However, if this approach can succeed in the gate-kept world of academia remains to be seen. The road to recognition and legitimacy is long, and UATX’s unaccredited status could present big hurdles for the school’s future growth.
Yet, some of the student’s aren’t too worried about hedging their bets on the new school, as the entire inaugural class has been awarded full-tuition scholarships, each reportedly worth $130,000.
Plus, the university is already planning an expanded fundraising campaign for January 2025.