Leaders react to firings to comply with DEI, comparing decisions by A&M, UT

AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) – Nearly 60 employees at the University of Texas in Austin received termination notices according to reports from the American Association of University Professors and Texas NAACP.

This was to comply with Senate Bill 17, which went into effect on Jan 1, 2024, prohibiting public universities from promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on campus. When reports of UT terminations came out, KBTX reached out to Texas A&M University regarding faculty and staff changes surrounding SB 17 compliance.

“Texas A&M’s Office for Diversity had eight positions, all of which were eliminated along with programs and initiatives prior to Jan. 1, 2024, which is when S.B. 17 went into effect. The university was able to identify open positions that aligned with each person’s skill set. Six of the eight took A&M up on the offer to move into a new job on campus, while the other two decided to leave,” a university spokesperson said. “Several dozen positions university-wide carried varying DEI-related responsibilities, with none exceeding 25% of their overall duties. The Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness group collaborated with supervisors to remove all DEI-related duties and create new responsibilities for those employees.”

UT has yet to respond to reports but advocates and leaders across the state are calling on the Austin campus leaders to rescind termination letters.

“When we heard about Gov. Abbott proposing this and then we saw Senate Bill 17, we were concerned that it could lead to potential things like this. But, we thought that because of the overwhelming backlash from stakeholders and from students they wouldn’t go as far as they apparently are,” State Representative Ron Reynolds D-Missouri City, said.

Rep. Reynolds is the Chairman for the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and says the decision from UT to send these notices has been beyond disheartening.

“Even as a parent but also as a legislator when you see what’s happening, this has been very troubling. It’s been very painful to see it happen, the rollout and the impact that has happened to so many,” Rep. Reynolds said.

Reynolds called the terminations an overreaction to what the law mandates of campuses. While he says the university could follow what A&M did here, A&M is not immune to the same kind of overreaction. Rep Reynolds cited an incident from Summer 2023, where a UT Professor was hired by the College Station campus and ultimately paid $1 million after reports of outside influences opposing the move due to the professor having a background of research in DEI.

“They settled it very fast from a lawsuit standpoint, lightning speed right so I know A&M is not immune from having had negative encounters with this response to Senate Bill 17. I believe that this time, that wasn’t an overreaction [by A&M] to Senate Bill 17, I think the layoffs of the faculty and staff at the University of Texas was an overreaction,” he said.

Rep. Reynolds said the move to terminate dozens of employees isn’t what the bill says to do or is intended to do.

“I think that if a university is in good faith and has the spirit of still wanting to do the right thing for their students, faculty and staff then they can work within the confines of Senate Bill 17 to still be within compliance of the law and not have to make these kind of terminations, make these kind of irrational decisions, that they can foster an inclusive environment that embraces students of all races and continue to attract minority students,” he said.

In their statement, the AAUP and NAACP said the decision to send termination letters is believed to have been triggered by a letter from Senator Brandon Creighton to numerous universities, warning them about continuing to employ a person involved in DEI with a simple label change.