On Wednesday, the board of regents for the University of Texas System announced a temporary halt on implementing any new policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across its 13 university and health campuses. The board has also requested all school leaders to submit a report on their existing DEI policies. According to Kevin Eltife, the UT System Board Chair, while promoting diversity is important, some DEI initiatives have deviated from their original intent and are now imposing requirements and actions that have raised concerns among policymakers across the state. The Austin American-Statesman initially reported Eltife's comments, but he did not provide any specific examples of the DEI efforts he deemed problematic. The UT System has not yet responded to additional inquiries.
Earlier this month, Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to public universities and state agencies, warning them that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices violated federal and state employment laws, and prohibiting them from using any factors other than merit in hiring decisions. However, legal experts have criticized the governor's office for misrepresenting the hiring practices used by employers when considering diversity in their hiring decisions.
In response to the governor's memo, Texas A&M University in College Station has revised its hiring policies. As per an email obtained by The Texas Tribune, the university's vice president of faculty affairs informed college deans that they should only consider a cover letter, resume, personal statement, and professional references in their hiring decisions.
Many workplaces across the country have implemented diversity, equity, and inclusion policies to increase representation and promote fair treatment for historically marginalized groups. Universities, in particular, have adopted DEI policies to address past biases and recognize that they have not always served all groups equally, including people of color, women, students with disabilities, and veterans. To facilitate these efforts, universities have established dedicated offices and hired personnel to ensure that their campuses are inclusive and supportive environments for underrepresented groups to thrive and succeed.
Over the past few months, conservative politicians and advocates have singled out diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, viewing them as left-leaning ideologies that perpetuate liberal concepts of structural racism and discrimination, rather than initiatives intended to support underrepresented groups.
On Wednesday, Eltife stated that the board members are open to elected officials reviewing DEI policies across Texas and suggested that they may contemplate implementing a standardized DEI policy across the entire UT System.
