UT Austin shuts down DEI division due to SB 17

AUSTIN, Texas - On Tuesday, University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell announced a staffing shakeup as a result of SB-17, the new state law banning "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" programs at colleges and universities that receive state funding. As a result, some UT employees will lose their jobs.

In an email sent to students and staff Tuesday, Hartzell said in part:

"…we are closing DCCE [Division of Campus and Community Engagement] and redistributing the remaining programs…As part of this reallocation, associate or assistant deans who were formerly focused on DEI will return to their full-time faculty positions. The positions that provided support for those associate and assistant deans and a small number of staff roles across campus that were formerly focused on DEI will no longer be funded."

It is unclear how many jobs will be lost.

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"A lot of these students are losing their advisors, their second parents," said graduate student Zion James.

"All of our staff that falls under the DEI initiative have been told they're going to be let go at the end of the semester," said senior Ophelia Brown.

Brown is the publicity chair for the Fearless Leadership Institute.

"When you're the only student of color in your class, and you just feel so alone and isolated, and then you get to come to these orgs and feel like you have a place," said Brown.

SB-17 was passed by the Texas legislature last year. Gov. Greg Abbott defended it, saying DEI programs are often a political tool to push liberal philosophies.

But some students say the law, and the closure of DCCE, will hurt organizations that make UT Austin more welcoming.

"It’s touching everybody, every minority on campus, whether that be black students, African-American students, Asian students, students who identify as LGBTQ," said Brown.

Members of many of these organizations got together on campus Tuesday night, to figure out a way forward.

"I feel like they have to go back to the drawing board," said James.

"This is brand-new news. We don't know where this is going to leave us," said Brown.

Programs like disability services, UT charter schools and volunteer programs, that were previously under the DCCE umbrella, will remain intact. Laid off workers will be able to apply for other university jobs.

"They have a slogan called make it Your Texas. And if they take out all of our organizations that make us, then it's really not our Texas anymore," said Brown.

FOX 7 reached out to Hartzell’s office, but a spokesperson declined our request for further comment.