Some Texas universities have reportedly been flouting a new state law banning “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs by renaming or reorganizing them.
An investigative report from The Federalist found that rather than dissolve their DEI programs or lose public funding, some universities have kept them intact in all but name.
“If you look past what maybe you call it, you know, diversity and inclusion, if it’s things like mentoring, recruiting and the like, support, we will continue to do those things. And so it’ll go under a different name,” said the University of Texas Dallas president, Richard Benson, according to KERA.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, the new year brought several new laws in Texas, including a ban on departments and programs utilizing DEI at taxpayer-funded higher education institutions. Gov. Greg Abbott began publicly questioning whether such endeavors violated federal and state laws in early 2023.
SB 17, the law banning DEI initiatives, prohibits the “differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity.”
Those opposed to the law suggested that students of color would be negatively impacted.
“By stifling open discussions on race, gender, and social justice, this legislation denies our young minds the opportunity to understand the diverse world they live in and perpetuates the cycle of ignorance and discrimination,” alleged Texas Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City), chairman of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.
Conversely, SB 17’s author, Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), previously asserted the legislation would “ensur[e] our campuses return to focusing on the strength of diversity and promoting a merit-based approach where individuals are judged on their qualifications, skills, and contributions.”
As previously covered in The Dallas Express, institutions such as the University of North Texas and the University of Houston appeared to make changes to comply with the new law, supposedly shutting down their DEI offices as well as an LGBT Resource Center, in the case of the latter.
Yet The Federalist found that these same entities have been reimagined in other ways, such as UH’s new Center for Student Advocacy & Belonging. At UNT, President Neal Smatresk reallocated staff and offices from DEI programs, including affirmative action, Title IX, and equal employment opportunity, to the division of finance and administration.
Moreover, much like at UT Dallas, the UT San Antonio president, Taylor Eighmy, reported in an email his plans to dub its DEI office the Office of Campus and Community Belonging. The president of UT Austin, Jay Hartzell, similarly wrote in a recent statement that DEI notions would still underpin practices at the institution.
“What will not change [under the new law] is our University leadership’s commitment to attracting, supporting and retaining exceptionally talented staff, faculty and students with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and fostering and celebrating diversity across our community,” he wrote.