University of Texas System Announces Pause on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
The University of Texas (UT) System will pause all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, the board of regents announced last week.
The board chairman Kevin Eltife stated at the start of the meeting he had a comment that was “not an action or discussion item.”
“The topic of DEI activities on college campuses has received tremendous attention nationally and here in Texas,” Eltife said.
“We welcome, celebrate, and strive for diversity on our campus with our student and faculty population.”
“I also think it’s fair to say in recent times, certain DEI efforts have strayed from the original intent to now imposing requirements and actions that, rightfully so, raised the concerns of our policymakers,” he added.
“We will await any action from the legislature for implementation by the University of Texas system at the appropriate time, and if needed, the board may consider a uniform DEI policy for the entire UT system,” Eltife said.
This announcement follows many reported incidents of DEI policies on UT campuses.
In 2021, Texas Tech University announced it was hiring four new assistant professors for its Department of Biological Sciences. Its social media posts made clear the department’s commitment to DEI hiring.
The department released a rubric for evaluating new faculty candidates’ diversity statements about how well they understand and have knowledge of “dimensions of diversity.”
Texas Tech has already released a statement about its steps toward ending DEI hiring and its desire to “always emphasize disciplinary excellence.”
https://thetexan.news/university-of-texas-system-announces-pause-on-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-initiatives/