To ensure compliance with the statewide ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion, University of Texas staff are now mandated to undergo regular training. An internal review found thousands of “DEI-related terms” on UT websites.
Rejection of DEI ideology has picked up steam in Texas and across the nation over the past few years. In 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a statewide ban on the ideology in higher education.
The law, also known as Senate Bill 17, prohibits universities from establishing a DEI office, using DEI criteria in their hiring practices, or requiring employees or prospective employees to attend DEI training. However, it does not apply to academic instruction.
It was widely reported this month that the University of Texas System (UTS) announced that system employees must complete SB 17 compliance training by February 2025. Student employees are included in this mandate. Compliance training must be repeated regularly every two years.
UTS made the announcement after an internal scan of utexas.edu websites found roughly 13,000 specific cases of multiple “DEI-related terms” being used.
“Every CSU [College, School, or Unit] is responsible for reviewing the web pages it manages to ensure that their content complies with Senate Bill 17,” Chris Sullivan of UT-Austin’s Marketing and Communications Department wrote in an October 31 email. “UT Austin’s Office of Internal Audits has recommended that University Risk and Compliance Services implement an ongoing compliance program that requires all CSUs to establish a standardized annual process to identify and remove DEI-related web content that is related to functions, programs, or activities prohibited by Senate Bill 17.”
Sullivan said every CSU should finish its review of its websites by December 31, 2024. A university spokesperson said the existence of DEI terms in UT content does not break state law automatically.
The training mandate was announced on November 14—two weeks after the internal scan of university websites. The mandate follows other steps by UTS to comply with the law, including ending its Division of Campus and Community Engagement and Multicultural Engagement Center.
No ads. No paywalls. No government grants. No corporate masters.
Just real news for real Texans.
Support Texas Scorecard to keep it that way!
