One year later, and minority Texas college students are experiencing the effects of SB17. In December 2024, the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates reported how college campuses have ra- cially changed after the implementation of SB17, the report shows that minority students are being greatly affected by the changes at their schools.
Here is how it started, with the implementation of Senate Bill 17 (SB17), Texas colleges and universities has seen significant changes, especially for minority and LGBTQAI+ students. This legislation was written by state Sen. Brandon Creighton and signed into law on June 14th, 2023, by Gov. Greg Abbott, it removes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices from state funded institutions, causing concerns about its impact on campus culture.
SB17 will remove essential support structures from historically underrepresented communities within higher education. It does not only affect students, but it also affects faculty, staff, and the educational environment in general. The effects are being felt in a few ways, from job losses and reduced scholarship opportunities to the discontinuation of institutional commitments to diversity and inclusivity.
SB17 took effect on Janu- ary 1st, 2024, its impact has been huge. While it aimed to eliminate DEI offices, not all colleges and universities immediately complied. This lack of compliance prompted Gov. Abbott to use stronger enforcement. In the bill, Creighton said that SB17 “amends the Education Code to require public higher education institutions to prioritize creating an environment of intellectual inquiry, academic freedom, and intellectual diversity.” This ensures that all students are ready for the workforce and that they are respected and educated regardless of back- ground or belief.
Texas is home to 105 public colleges and universities, collectively enrolling almost 1.5 million students. Students, professors, and chancellors from institutions like The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and the University of Houston, have been outspoken about the ban’s impact. UT Austin’s enrollment exceeds 51,000 students, with less than 5% of that population identifying as Black. Isabella Bellard, a UT Austin junior, was a member in the Fearless Leadership Institute (FLI), a program dedicated to supporting Black and Hispanic female students until it was removed due to the ban. Bel- lard emphasized FLI’s importance as a necessary space for underrepresented students in an interview with USA Today.
Texas A&M University’s President Katherine Banks resigned in 2023 because of controversy surrounding the hiring of a black journalist to lead the journalism program. This hiring decision came with a lot of backlash against Banks’ diversity efforts. The journalist hired had a back- ground in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The university hired Kathleen McElroy, a professor known for advocating for diversity measures and promoting inclusivity. Public outrage led to changes in McElroy’s contract, saying that her employment could be terminated at any time. McElroy told the Texas Tribune hat she was be- ing judged by race and gender.
According to CNN, Texas A&M and McElroy reached a $1 million settlement. The university issued an apology to McElroy and acknowledging mistakes in the hiring process. Texas A&M is the largest public university in the state, with an enrollment of around 74,000 students.
The impact on faculty and staff has become clear as UT Austin laid off 60 employees in early April 2024 to follow the state ban. Approximately 200 UT Austin students dis- rupted a virtual faculty meet- ing held by university president Jay Hartzell in protest of the move. Hartzell announced that the school will not sup- port diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts anymore due to SB17.
Two days after the meeting, the executive committee of the UT Austin advocacy chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Texas Legislative Black Caucus jointly sent a letter to Hartzell urging him to rescind the termination notices issued to approximately sixty UT Austin professional staff. These employees, who previously held DEI roles, have been terminated from their previous roles and reassigned to other non-DEI positions. Members of the committee said, “terminating staff for their previous lawful association with DEI initiatives is discriminatory and infringes on their freedom of expression.”
In an interview with CBS Austin, Creighton said that while some professors can stay, those in DEI roles might have to find work elsewhere, ensuring that top educators stay in classrooms. “And so, the best and the brightest, they will end up teaching in another classroom… And some, if they are not needed, if they are in an administrative role, they will have to go somewhere else for employment.” According to the Daily Texan, in May 2023, Rep. John Kuempel testi fed that DEI staff would not lose their jobs, but some eventually did. The removal of DEI offices, programs and related initiatives is a continuing to hurt wave minority students and faculty. Students and educators are still pushing back against what they think is as a threat to the core values of higher education.
