UT Dallas lays off 20 employees to comply with new Texas law

Meeting on how to keep diversity on college campuses

There were 23 North Texas public school district leaders who met Thursday to talk about ways to keep students of color in the pipeline toward colleges and universities in the UT System.

DALLAS - The University of Texas at Dallas is laying off 20 employees to comply with the state’s ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion offices on college campuses.

The layoff takes effect at the end of the month.

UTD President Richard Benson said he knows the decision will not be welcomed by many in the community.

He encouraged hiring managers to consider the impacted DEI employees for their vacancies.

Last week, UT Austin laid off about 60 employees to comply with the state’s new law.

Texas lawmakers passed it last year banning universities from influencing hiring practices that take into account the applicant’s race, sex, or ethnicity.

Governor Greg Abbott and other Republican lawmakers accused universities of using DEI programs to push liberal politics. They argued the programs didn’t actually increase diversity and prioritized race over merit.

UT Austin President Jay Hartzell said the Division of Campus and Community Engagement was also being disbanded. It provided resources for communities who faced challenges getting access to higher education.

Some student organizations said the move makes the university feel less welcoming.

"It’s touching everybody. Every minority on campus whether that be black, it’s affecting everybody as a whole," said Ophelia Brown, a UT senior and member of the Fearless Leadership Institute.

A group of professors also demanded that the university reverse its decision on the job cuts.

Hartzel said workers who were laid off will be able to apply for other university jobs.