Texas - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Research and Resources - LibGuides at Women in Engineering ProActive Network

Senate

House Bill 1/Senate Bill 17 (Signed into law)
In January 2023, State Rep. Greg Bonnen, a Republican, filed a bill proposing the state's 2024-25 budget. The bill includes a provision that would ban colleges from spending state-appropriated funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The bill was passed by the House and Senate in April and was sent to a conference committee to resolve differences. The conference committee's compromise bill would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion practices or programs, including training, that do not comply with sections of the state Constitution regarding equality under the law based on characteristics such as sex and race. The Senate and House approved the conference-committee report in May. The final version was sent to Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, in June and signed.
Senate Bill 2313 (The bill failed to pass before the end of the legislative session)
In March 2023, State Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Republican, introduced a bill that would prohibit colleges from requiring diversity training as a condition of enrollment or course registration. The bill failed to pass before the end of the legislative session.

House

House Bill 5127/Senate Bill 17 (Signed into law)
In March 2023, State Rep. Matt Shaheen, a Republican, introduced a bill that would require a public institution's board of trustees to approve the hiring of top administrators as well as core courses and job postings, and to submit an annual report confirming that the institution does not require diversity statements or have an office of diversity, equity, and inclusion or any DEI employees. The bill would also require institutions to use specific language in their mission statements. A public hearing on the bill was held in the House in May; a substitute that would allow some diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, required for federal grants or accreditation, was considered in committee on May 8. On May 22 the House approved an amended version of the bill, which the Senate rejected, and the bill was sent to a conference committee to reconcile differences. The conference committee's bill, which bans diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and staff, diversity statements, giving preference based on characteristics such as race or sex, and mandatory diversity training at public colleges, was approved by the Senate and House in May, and sent to the governor. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law in June.
House Bill 5140 (The bill failed to pass before the end of the legislative session)
In March 2023, State Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Republican, filed a bill that would prohibit the consideration of race or ethnicity as a factor in higher-education admissions, among other things. The bill failed to pass before the end of the legislative session.
House Bill 3164 (The bill failed to pass before the end of the session)
In March 2023, State Reps. Carl Tepper, Candy Noble, Jacey Jetton, Jared Patterson, and Giovanni Capriglione, all Republicans, introduced a bill that would prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and employees at public colleges. The bill failed to pass before the end of the session.
House Bill 1046 (The bill failed to pass before the end of the session)
In December 2022, State Rep. Carl Tepper, a Republican, introduced a bill that would ban colleges from mandating diversity statements as a condition of admission or employment for students or employees. The bill failed to pass before the end of the session.
House Bill 1006 (The bill failed to pass before the end of the legislative session)
In December 2022, State Rep. Carl Tepper, a Republican, introduced a bill that would prohibit the funding or promotion of any diversity, equity, or inclusion office. The bill failed to pass before the end of the legislative session.

Colleges Affected by DEI Legislation

Texas A&M University at College Station

Details: Texas A&M University at College Station eliminated its Office for Diversity, which served all of the system’s campuses, and its LGBTQ+ Pride Center; created a Student Life Center that will continue some Pride Center programs that are open to all students; transferred employees to other positions; updated some hiring practices; and changed some required training.

University of Texas at San Antonio

Details: The University of Texas at San Antonio eliminated its Office of Inclusive Excellence; halted plans to create an Office of Campus and Community Belonging; dispersed disability, campus-climate, and community-engagement services across other divisions; transitioned employees through “voluntary changes in staffing” and reassignment; and eliminated 10 percent of more than 300 DEI-related programs.

University of Texas at Austin

Details: The University of Texas at Austin changed the name of its Office for Institutional Equity to the Center for Access and Restorative Engagement; eliminated its Multicultural Engagement Center and Gender and Sexuality Center; created the Division of Campus and Community Engagement and the Women’s Community Center, but then closed them in April; fired at least 49 employees with DEI-related roles; changed its Fearless Leadership Institute to be open to women of all ethnicities; eliminated funding and removed online and physical resources for registered student organizations, including identity-based student groups; required certain student organizations and faculty groups to conduct activities off campus and on their personal time; eliminated multicultural graduation ceremonies and welcome programs for underrepresented groups; and eliminated a scholarship program for undocumented students.

University of Houston-Downtown

Details: The University of Houston-Downtown eliminated its Student Center for Diversity and Inclusion; created a Center for Student Advocacy and Community; transitioned employees to other positions; eliminated training on topics like inclusive language, microaggressions, and “Trans 101" for its leader certificate program; and reorganized services for pregnant and working students, student organizations, and a mentoring program under the new office.

University of Houston

Details: The University of Houston eliminated its Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and its LGBTQ Resource Center; created a Center for Student Advocacy and Community; moved five employees to other positions; and eliminated more than 40 DEI-related programs within identity-based hubs, Student Housing and Residential Life, Counseling and Psychological Services, and University Career Services.

Texas Woman’s University

Details: Texas Woman’s University closed its Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach; created the Center for Belonging and First-Generation Students; moved two employees to other positions; eliminated DEI modules for employee training; paused the activities of the Chancellor’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council; and modified language on digital platforms and print publications.

Texas Tech University

Details: Texas Tech University eliminated its Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; renamed its Black Cultural Center to the Student Enrichment Center; created a Campus Access & Engagement Office to “house other programs” for faculty, staff, and students; moved some programs from the eliminated office into other divisions like Enrollment Management, Student Life, and Academic Innovation and Student Success; and transitioned employees to other positions at the university.

In the Media

Gov. Abbott signs DEI bill into law, dismantling diversity offices at colleges
Texas campuses must eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion offices.
Diversity offices on college campuses will soon be illegal in Texas, as 30 new laws go into effect
DENTON — When Texas college students return to their campuses after the winter break, they’ll discover the lights are still off in their campuses’ diversity offices.
5 things to know about Texas’ DEI ban
A new state law, known as SB 17, prohibits public colleges and universities from having diversity, equity and inclusion offices across Texas.
Texas ban on university diversity efforts provides a glimpse of the future across GOP-led states
Other changes struck Nina Washington, a senior at the University of Texas, when she returned to her favorite study spot from winter break. The words “Multicultural Center” had been taken off the wall, erasing an effort begun in the late 1980s to serve historically marginalized communities on campus. The center’s staff members were gone, its student groups dissolved.
Texas DEI
Inclusion and Belonging Law in the Jurisdiction of Texas: A Comprehensive Examination of Senate Bill 17 and Its Implications for Higher Education
Texas universities cut jobs after Texas bans DEI programs
Public colleges and universities in Texas are rolling back or eliminating programs that support programs geared toward Black, Latino, Asian and LQTBQ+ students.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Research and Resources: Texas

Senate

House

Colleges Affected by DEI Legislation

In the Media

What it means