This article has been updated since publication.
A lawmaker in the Texas House has asked the Trump administration to hold the state’s universities accountable for DEI practices.
State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian), an alumnus of Texas A&M University, wrote in a May 2 letter to a federal official that Texas A&M president Mark Welsh admitted to him the university was still engaged in promoting DEI.
“He confirmed in writing that Texas A&M is still engaged in DEI courses and practices such as ‘targeted’ student recruitment efforts,” wrote Harrison to Sean Keveney, the acting general counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The confirmation Harrison referred to was about a February 26 letter from Welsh, which was shared in the same social media post.
Welsh expresses in the letter that he is “puzzled” by Harrison’s allegation that the university’s “‘targeted’ student recruitment efforts” violate the state’s DEI ban.
“You’ve also posted about student groups and academic courses, which, like recruiting activities, are specifically exempted in the [state’s DEI ban],” wrote Welsh.
Welsh claimed that Texas A&M’s circumvented use of DEI is “in full compliance with the law” and that state auditors have verified this.
Harrison believes the persistent problem of DEI is not isolated to TAMU.
“After reviewing the websites and courses of our state universities, I believe most of them also are still maintaining DEI programs and/or courses,” wrote Harrison to Keveney.
Harrison believes this violates the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. “It is my understanding that under [this case] … these programs or courses are unconstitutional,” Harrison wrote.
Since the Texas government and leadership in higher education “have failed to end this taxpayer-funded discrimination,” according to Harrison, he is now turning to the Trump administration for help.
He specifically requested that Keveney confirm his understanding of the Supreme Court’s decision and that he or Trump’s anti-DEI task force “take any action” they deem appropriate to ensure Texas universities receive federal taxpayer money under the U.S. Constitution.
Welsh provided Texas Scorecard a statement in response to Harrison’s post. “I’m disappointed that after direct outreach from me months ago with the offer to speak with Representative Harrison about his concerns, instead of a direct response, he sent a letter to the federal government and posted more misleading information on social media,” he wrote. “I stand by everything I said in the letter and remain ready to help Representative Harrison improve higher education for the citizens of Texas.”
