University of Texas lays off DEI employees to comply with state law
Republican State Sen. Brandon Creighton discusses the law he authored to close DEI departments at public universities.
University of Texas at Austin (UT) students blasted their school for complying with state law to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices on campuses.
UT laid off dozens of employees who worked in their DEI programs to comply with a new state law, the university announced last week.
The students wanted UT to defy state law in order to abide by the school's "values" in protecting "marginalized groups."
‘EXTREMIST TEXAN GOVERNMENT’
Maddox Réal, class of 2026, told Fox News Digital, "UT Austin is now compliant with the extremist Texan government."
He went on to say it "demonstrates that if you look to promote an equitable academic environment for all students, you are not welcome here."
University of Texas Austin (UT) sophomore Erin McCormick told Fox News Digital called the DEI closures "heartbreaking." (Fox News Digital)
'WRONGFUL TERMINATION'
Réal added that the student population was appalled by the closure of the offices and called it "wrongful termination."
"State efforts to undermine initiatives that seek to uplift and protect marginalized groups have no place on our campus. I have found myself extremely disappointed in UT Austin’s response to these authoritarian practices, and its commitment to be SB 17 compliant. As one of the most influential and powerful universities in this nation, one would expect a fight, a struggle, on behalf of so many vulnerable students," he said.
"However, the school administration is continuously failing the very students it claims to protect," he added.
"To remove job security from people who are both inward-facing and outward-facing ambassadors of equity is not congruent with the core values that UT claims to embody," Erin McCormick, class of 2026, told Fox News Digital. "What’s happening right now on our campus is heartbreaking. The closure of the Division of Campus and Community Engagement (DCCE) is creating a ripple effect across campus. State representatives and legislation are not just responsible but also accountable for the erasure of these critical roles and departments on our campus."
"The university’s actions have shown what they truly prioritize. They prioritize political conformity over the inclusion and support of their own students. The firing of employees has shown that they do not hold equity to the standard that they claim to," Iala Darwish, class of 2025, told Fox News Digital.
‘VERY CONFUSED AND DISAPPOINTED’
Vashed Thompson, class of 2025, told Fox News Digital that those types of institutions help "reassure" students of color "that we’re going to make it."
"I was very confused and disappointed to hear about the closure of DDCE as well as the firing of staff. Many of the staff members have been the only ones to show interest in both our professional lives, but also personal," Thompson said.
Thompson went on to say, "They are the ones who go out of their way to find us resources and help in any way they can. To see that the university will just disregard them after all their hard work is crazy to me and feels as if the university does not see its minority students and faculty as valuable."
‘POLITICAL CONFORMITY’
"The university’s actions have shown what they truly prioritize. They prioritize political conformity over the inclusion and support of their own students. The firing of employees has shown that they do not hold equity to the standard that they claim to," Iala Darwish, class of 25, told Fox News Digital.
"While Abbott may say that these diversity practices are ‘excluding,’ it is the complete opposite. Places like the MEC provide a home for students that don’t have a home anywhere else on campus."
TEXAS SCHOOLS WARNED OF FINANCIAL PENALTIES IF THEY SKIRT DEI BAN: 'STRONGEST BILL IN THE NATION'
University of Texas at Austin students blasted their school for complying with state law to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion offices on campuses.
UT President Jay Hartzell announced on April 2 the school’s DCCE was being dissolved and its programs and funding transferred to other divisions.
The announcement came as the university works to comply with a new Texas law that came into effect Jan. 1, which effectively dissolved DEI institutions at public colleges and universities throughout the state.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that a person with knowledge about the situation said 60 positions that were related to DEI work were eliminated at UT-Austin.
TEXAS UNIVERSITY JOINS GROWING LIST OF COLLEGES REINSTATING STANDARDIZED TESTING
The law mandates that all governing boards of public colleges and universities ensure that their institutions prohibit the establishment and maintenance of a DEI office and the issue of "DEI Statements." In addition, hiring practices and trainings are no longer able to use DEI statements.
"I recognize that strong feelings have surrounded SB 17 from the beginning and will shape many Longhorns’ perceptions of these measures," Hartzell wrote in reference to the new law. "It is also important that this continues to be a welcoming, supportive community for all."
In the message, Hartzell said student-facing jobs would remain throughout the rest of the semester and that laid-off employees could apply for other positions at the university.
The layoffs came after state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R., outlined expectations of how universities will comply with the state law. He wrote a letter expressing the serious nature of the bill, saying that the measure "mandates a fundamental shift in the operation of our higher education institutions." He added that universities are expected to facilitate a "merit-based environment."
Creighton, like other critics of DEI programs at the university level, argued they were simply discrimination by another name in explaining his opposition; DEI supporters argue they address increasingly diverse student populations and are a form of correction against systemic inequities.
Per a letter penned by Sen. Brandon Creighton from the Senate Committee on Education is expected to hold a hearing in May on how universities are complying with SB 17. (YouTube Screenshot)
Cultural graduations were another casualty of the effect of the law, prompting outrage from some students.
When the university’s Multicultural Engagement Center (MEC) was closed in compliance with the state’s law, Black Graduation, Latinx Graduation, and GraduAsian ceremonies were impacted as a result.
McCormick previously told Fox News Digital of the cancelation of Black graduations, "Everyone's pretty irritated or pretty annoyed because UT Austin has a pretty big liberal population as well--like liberal student population."
"It's kind of bummy that they closed it because I feel like Black graduation – it really celebrates the achievement. Just because given the history of Texas and UT alone, Latinos are not always welcome here, not wanted to graduate from here," McCormick said.
She added, "So having Black graduation is kind of a celebration of the history and of everything that the Black community in Austin, especially UT Austin, has gone through. And then also, UT, while being diverse, is not very diverse in the Black student population. So, Black graduation is a way for all of us to kind of find our own little niche community."
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The University of Florida last month eliminated all DEI positions and administrative appointments in compliance with a similar law in the state.
Fox News' David Rutz contributed to this report.