President Jay Hartzell testified about diversity, equity and inclusion at a Texas Senate higher education subcommittee hearing on Monday.
The hearing comes after Texas universities implemented Senate Bill 17 in January. Other witnesses included Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III and a representative from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank. This is the subcommittee’s final interim meeting before the Texas legislative session begins next year.
Earlier this year, the University shut down its LGBTQ+ and multiculturalcenters to comply with SB 17, which prohibits diversity, equity and inclusion offices and practices at all Texas public universities. The University also fired 62 employees who previously held DEI-related positions — a move some community members consider over compliance with the bill. SB 17 does not apply to academics and research.
Subcommittee members asked Welsh and Hartzell about the impact of SB 17 on minority groups on their campuses and clarified some of the procedural steps universities have taken to comply with the bill, such as shutting down the Multicultural Engagement Center and canceling cultural graduations.
The hearing served as a platform for people to voice their concerns. During public testimony, many UT students and faculty spoke about how DEI programs benefited them and how SB 17 took away key safe spaces.
When Sen. Royce West asked about the impact of SB 17 on enrollment in minority groups, Hartzell did not directly answer the question. He said enrollment has steadily increased across all demographics over the last eight years.
Over a dozen UT students and faculty registered to speak in the public testimony portion of the hearing, largely in support of diversity, equity and inclusion. Student organizations such as Texas Rising and Texas Students for DEI led coordinated efforts to encourage people to testify. The hearing lasted over six hours, and some had to leave before they could testify.
“To have the well-rounded education that Jay Hartzell argues is inherent to UT as a high academic standing, we need diversity, equity and inclusion,” Genesis Britz, a government and philosophy junior, said in her public testimony. “Those who are standing before you will inevitably sit in your seats with the degrees you are aiming to define.”
Texas A&M’s Board of Regents approved a resolution on Nov. 7 directing the university president to eliminate 14 minors and 38 certificates with low enrollment, according to the Battalion, the university’s student newspaper. This included A&M’s LGBTQ+ studies minor, which prompted the university’s investigation into minor enrollment. Welsh clarified these cuts were not made due to political biases.
Subcommittee Chair Sen. Brandon Creighton questioned both Hartzell and Welsh about their processes to remove minors. Hartzell said minors have been a “growth area” for UT, so there is more focus on expanding minors rather than cutting them. UT only began putting minors on transcripts in 2016.
“To a large extent, the courses we offer are based on supply and demand,” Hartzell said. “On the supply side, a professor, department chair, dean or even a president can suggest ideas for courses. The demand can originate from a workforce, need or private sector or student input and observe course enrollments.”
