Texas A&M System cuts diversity, equity, inclusion considerations in hiring, admissions
The Texas A&M University System is removing diversity, equity and inclusion statements from its employment or admission practices, according to an announcement by the system's chancellor.
“No university or agency in the A&M System will admit any student, nor hire any employee based on any factor other than merit,” Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said in a news release Thursday.
The directive standardizes faculty and staff applications and limits them to a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research and teaching philosophy statements and professional references. It also ordered the 11 universities and eight agencies within the system to make all websites or printed materials dealing with employment and admission practices compliant with the directive.
The specifics in DEI statements vary across campuses, but they can include having a job applicant describe how they prioritize equity and inclusion in their teaching and research or how they have previously shown their commitment to diversity in their work.
The A&M move comes about a week after University of Texas System board Chairman Kevin Eltife announced during a regents board meeting that the UT System was pausing all new DEI policies at all of its campuses, including UT-Austin. The UT System Board of Regents has also asked for a report on existing DEI policies at all institutions within the system.
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“It’s fair to say that in recent times, certain DEI efforts have strayed from the original intent to now imposing requirements and actions that, rightfully so, has raised the concerns of our policymakers about those efforts on campuses across our entire state,” Eltife said.
The UT System and the Texas A&M System are the state's two largest university systems, with a combined enrollment of nearly 400,000 students. The flagship schools in each system — the UT-Austin and Texas A&M University — have the two largest student enrollments among all four-year, public universities in Texas.
Earlier this month, Gardner Pate, Gov. Greg Abbott’s chief of staff, sent a letter to state agencies, including universities, notifying them that using DEI considerations in hiring is illegal and violates state and federal anti-discrimination laws. Employment law experts, however, have said the governor's interpretation of DEI initiatives in hiring is misguided.
After receiving the letter, according to a news release, Sharp ordered all A&M System institutions to review their employment and admission practices and confirm their compliance.
“The Texas A&M University System will continue its land grant mission by ensuring Texans from all walks of life are served by our institutions,” Sharp said. “We believe serving Texas can be accomplished best by recruiting the brightest and most qualified students, faculty and staff.”
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DEI policies and initiatives at higher education institutions have recently come under fire by conservative GOP politicians, who have proposed — but not passed — bans on DEI offices, DEI policies and critical race theory, which is a college-level framework of scholarship to examine racism.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who oversees the Texas Senate, has announced that banning critical race theory and DEI policies in higher education are among his top priorities this legislative session, though the specific bills he referenced have yet to be filed.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas A&M System removes DEI policies from hiring, admissions
