University of Texas Austin Defunds All DEI Programs, Fires Dozens of DEI Employees

The University of Texas at Austin on Tuesday announced it is terminating campus roles dealing with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), eliminating several positions pertaining to the woke agenda.

An email sent to staff by UT President Jay Hartzell stated the programs would be eliminated in accordance with SB 17, which Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) signed into law last June prohibiting “many activities around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).”

WINNING: The University of Texas is closing down its DEI division, forcing some DEI deans to return to teaching, and eliminating other DEI positions altogether.

We will not stop until DEI is abolished and salted over. pic.twitter.com/1eLE45HNa9

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) April 2, 2024

Read a portion of the email below:

“Soon after the passage last year of Senate Bill 17 – which prohibits many activities around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) – the University embarked on a multiphase process to review campus portfolios and end or redesign the policies, programs, trainings, and roles affected by the new law. Our initial focus was to ensure we made the required changes by SB 17’s January 1 effective date, but we knew that more work would be required to utilize our talent and resources most effectively in support of our teaching and research missions, and ultimately, our students.

“Since that date, we have been evaluating our post-SB 17 portfolio of divisions, programs, and positions. The new law has changed the scope of some programs on campus, making them broader and creating duplication with long-standing existing programs supporting students, faculty, and staff. Following those reviews, we have concluded that additional measures are necessary to reduce overlap, streamline student- facing portfolios, and optimize and redirect resources into our fundamental activities of teaching and research.

“For these reasons, we are discontinuing programs and activities within the Division of Campus and Community Engagement (DCCE) that now overlap with our efforts elsewhere. Following these changes, the scale and needs of the remaining DCCE activities do not justify a stand-alone division. As a result, we are closing DCCE and redistributing the remaining programs. This means that we will continue to operate many programs with rich histories spanning decades, such as disability services, University Interscholastic League, the UT charter schools, and volunteer and community programs. Going forward, these programs will be part of other divisions where they complement existing operations. We know these programs and the dedicated staff who run them will continue to have positive impacts on our campus and community.

“Additionally, funding used to support DEI across campus prior to SB 17’s effective date will be redeployed to support teaching and research. As part of this reallocation, associate or assistant deans who were formerly focused on DEI will return to their full-time faculty positions. The positions that provided support for those associate and assistant deans and a small number of staff roles across campus that were formerly focused on DEI will no longer be funded.”

While UT did not disclose how many employees would be terminated, estimates online claimed there could be dozens, or up to 60 staff members being laid off.

At the time of its passage, the bill’s sponsor, State Sen. Brandon Creighton, praised it for eliminating the discriminatory practice and returning campuses to a meritocracy.

“With this bold, forward-thinking legislation to eliminate DEI programs, Texas is leading the nation, and ensuring 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,” Sen. Creighton said at the time.

“What sets SB 17 apart from other proposals is that the legislation delivers strong enforcement with mandates to return Texas colleges and universities to their core mission — educate and innovate,” he added.