On Feb. 22, the UT System Board of Regents declared a system-wide pause on all new diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. On Feb. 23, diverse students and faculty showed up. We showed up to classes, to organization meetings, to our homes, to our partners, to our friends and to our families. And we’ve continued to show up every day since.

Diversity isn’t going anywhere. 

As a student researcher studying the experiences of BIPOC individuals in higher education, I’ve seen firsthand how much DEI initiatives can contribute to student success. Research shows that equipping students of color with counselors of color may increase the likelihood students complete their degree. Additional studies indicate diverse faculty are instrumental in supporting students from diverse backgrounds, both on the levels of race and gender and sexuality. On a personal level, having met and interviewed dozens of diverse students and faculty members nationwide, I can confidently say diversity only enriches college campuses. 

The system-wide pause reminds me of the age-old demands frequently placed on people from marginalized communities: be quiet and stop organizing. 

Unfortunately for the Board of Regents, we will not be quiet. 

We never have been. In many ways, the stories of students of color are all over this campus. From the recently discovered inscription “For Whites” on the walls of Battle Hall to the looming windows of Littlefield House, named after and home to a slave owner, this campus has its history written all over it. But student activism has its own long and storied history. We’ve protested attacks on affirmative action, regressive gun laws and anti-choice legislation. 

Even worse, we will not stop organizing.

We are experts in making good trouble. When COVID-19 struck, a UT community member developed mutual aid programming to support students. Later, when the 2021 snowstorm left dozens without power, another student used her talents as a photographer to assist affected students and their mental health needs. When disabled students repeatedly encountered inaccessible areas on campus, the Disability Advocacy Student Coalition banded together to develop a formal system for reporting barriers.

The UT System’s umbrella term for diversity, equity and inclusion means the pause falls along intersectional lines — low-income students, women, disabled individuals and LGBTQ+ people all stand to be affected by the announcement. 

Catherine Frazier, the UT Systems director of media relations, declined to comment but referred questions to the Board of Regents meeting.

Historically, however, the responsibility of tackling DEI initiatives has been disproportionately placed onto people of color. Especially for faculty of color, many of whom do not have tenure, the uncompensated and weighty labor of advocacy work can be particularly stressful.

Faculty support yields the potential to make or break this tense moment. This is the time for faculty, particularly those from positions of privilege, to align themselves with marginalized students. Publicly denounce the pause. Extend personal support to students from diverse backgrounds. Create space for open and frank conversations about racism, ableism, sexism, homophobia and classism. There is no time but the present. We need to know we have your support.

We are all too familiar with pushing for progressive policies and attitudes. This pause on DEI initiatives is no different. We can and should mourn the state of affairs that has made such a pause even possible. But it isn’t worth lamenting what’s already happened. We need to support the diversity that makes our school a place we can call our Texas. The following list includes local community organizers, mutual aid groups and programming that focus on uplifting individuals from diverse backgrounds. 

1. Austin Mutual Aid: “Austin Mutual Aid is a grassroots organization whose mission is to empower and sustain vibrant, joyful, resilient communities.”
2. Anti-Racism in STEM Workshops: The College of Natural Sciences is hosting workshops focused on targeting racism in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
3. Texas Legislature Higher Ed Bill Tracker: This list keeps up with the legislation made around Texas colleges and universities.
4. ATX Free Fridge Project: Community fridge project aiming to reduce food insecurity in the broader Austin area.

And finally, a personal message to the Board of Regents: You do not scare us. We are staying vigilant. We are finding community. And we are still here — whether or not you want us to be.

Plat is a Plan II, African & African Diaspora studies and sociology sophomore. They are the Diversity & Inclusion director.