In solidarity with those who were unjustly fired, the Texas State Employees Union has called for a demonstration on the University of Texas Austin campus.
After a recent move to fire over 60 staff members who held roles related to diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) on campus, about 200 students at the University of Texas at Austin interrupted a virtual faculty council meeting convened by university president Jay Hartzell in protest. The demonstration was in response to the school’s attempts to comply with the prohibition of the DEI initiative that was enacted earlier this year in Texas.
Hartzell recently notified the school community that UT Austin has decided to close its Division of Campus and Community Engagement and stop funding DEI programs and activities. Texas approved SB 17 in June of last year, essentially outlawing DEI efforts at universities, and this judgment is in line with that law. 57 DEI personnel lost employment, while eight were reassigned to ordinary teaching roles.
Those who opposed the layoffs were shocked to hear the news and angry because Hartzell hadn’t responded to their questions. The organization voiced its disapproval of the move, saying that it would cut into staff positions in July and significantly alter several campus activities.
Complying with the legislation of several other state-run organizations has been the subject of intense scrutiny. State Senator Brandon Creighton has cautioned university administrators that failure to comply with the law may result in financial penalties.
Those who have lost their jobs are disproportionately members of minority groups, particularly those who identify as Black or brown, gay or transgender, or otherwise disadvantaged. The shuttered department assisted those who may face the most significant barriers to education. Undocumented students lost access to a crucial resource when the university eliminated many student assistance programs, including Monarch.
Everyone from students to faculty to staff is looking for answers and wants the dismissed people back on the job.