Texas taxpayers could be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in employee reimbursements for a “journalism” conference that one taxpayer-subsidized university has already concluded violates state law by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion themes.
At issue is an August conference sponsored by the Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), a trade association for left-wing journalism professors. The conference, held in New Orleans, began today and runs through Saturday.
The conference first came to public attention due to a series of selective leaks from Tracy Everbach, a professor at the UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism, to left-wing media outlets in North Texas.
Everbach’s leaks concerned determinations by UNT’s University Integrity and Compliance department that expense reimbursements for the AEJMC conference violated several provisions of the Texas Education Code that prohibit DEI in day-to-day university governance, including:
- TEC §51.3525(a)(2) “promoting differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity …”
- TEC §51.3525(a)(3) “promoting policies or procedures designed or implemented in reference to race, color, or ethnicity …”
- TEC §51.3525(a)(4) “conducting trainings, programs, or activities designed or implemented in reference to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation …”
- TEC §51.3525(b)(1)(B) “hire or assign an employee of the institution or contract with a third party to perform the duties of a diversity, equity, and inclusion office …”
- TEC §51.3525(b)(1)(D) “give preference on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin to an applicant for employment, an employee, or a participant in any function of the institution …”
Follow up reporting uncovered that more than 140 employees from a dozen taxpayer-subsidized universities in Texas were scheduled to participate in the conference. UT-Austin and Texas Tech have the most employees listed.
As part of that reporting, Texas Scorecard sent an open records request to UNT for Everbach’s communications about AEJMC since January 2025. UNT provided this information last week.
The communications disclosed dialogue between Everbach and officials at UNT and AEJMC over these reimbursements that culminated in a June 26 email from Senior Administrative Coordinator Siarra Azocar to Everbach, stating that UNT would reimburse travel expenses but would not reimburse conference registration fees or organizational membership.
Everbach’s “request for travel funds” form indicates that she sought $1482.20 for expenses related to the AEJMC conference. Of that request, $295 was earmarked for conference registration.
Based on the policy detailed above, it appears that UNT will reimburse Everbach to the tune of $1187.20.
Records indicate that Everbach paid a $305 conference registration fee on June 26. The source of those funds was not indicated.
Records further indicate that Everbach paid a “member rate,” but did not include details of the source of funds or timing for her membership renewal.
Based on the numbers obtained from Everbach’s records, the scale of potential subsidies for this event from Texas taxpayers becomes apparent. If 140 university employees pay a $300 conference registration fee, that would cost taxpayers $42,000.
The AEJMC levies membership dues on a sliding scale that renders a precise calculation impossible, but likely constitutes a similar amount.
Beyond direct subsidies for conference registration and membership dues, Everbach’s total reimbursement request suggests that direct and indirect subsidies from Texas taxpayers could total more than $200,000.
Texas Scorecard has asked every institution subsidized by Texas taxpayers and listed on the conference schedule about employee travel reimbursement. None have replied.
If you are a student, parent, faculty member, or concerned citizen who would like to partner with us to promote transparency in taxpayer subsidized higher education, please email scorecardtips@protomail.com.
