The Texas A&M University System, with over 153,000 students across 11 campuses, will no longer ask job applicants to make a written commitment to so-called “diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The move comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month warned Texas public universities and state agencies that considering “diversity, equity and inclusion” or “DEI” in hiring violated federal and state employment laws barring any consideration “other than merit.”
“Abbott's order prompted multiple universities to make changes to hiring, particularly in the practice of asking job candidates to submit diversity statements, which are typically one- to two-page letters in which job candidates are asked to share their experiences working with diverse populations and their commitment to helping a diverse group of students succeed,” Austin ABC TV affiliate KVUE reports.
“Critics have characterized them as political litmus tests,” KVUE adds.
“No university or agency in the A&M System will admit any student, nor hire any employee based on any factor other than merit,” said Chancellor John Sharp in a memo to university system leaders.
“Today's System-wide directive standardizes faculty and staff applications, limiting them to a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements about research and teaching philosophies, and professional references. It further instructs universities and agencies to make all websites or printed materials dealing with employment and admission practices compliant with the directive,” the University announced in a statement.
“The Texas A&M University System will continue its land grant mission by ensuring Texans from all walks of life are served by our institutions,” said Sharp. “We believe serving Texas can be accomplished best by recruiting the brightest and most qualified students, faculty and staff.”
Sharp was Texas' Comptroller of Public Accounts from 1991 to 1999 and is one of the last Democrats to have served in a statewide office.
The University of Texas System, with 240,000 students on eight campuses, paused DEI statements the week before, with UT System Board Chair Kevin Eltife stating, “certain DEI efforts have strayed from the original intent to now imposing requirements and actions that, rightfully so, has raised the concerns of our policymakers around those efforts on campuses across our entire state.”
The Texas State University System, with 87,000 students, and the University of Houston System, with 70,000 students, have also dropped DEI statements in accordance with Abbott's order.
“We will continue to ensure our policies are consistent with state and federal laws, and we stand against any actions or activities that promote discrimination in the guise of diversity, equity and inclusion,” University of Houston System Chancellor Renu Khator wrote in an email.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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I appears that only Texas universities have any common sense about them anymore. Thank you for your stand. Many some other universities, particularly, Christian ones, will follow suit, or have even those schools gone “woke”?
So, what they’re saying they only want the best of the best based on merit to end up building bridges, treating patience, running our government etc. etc. Wow what a strange concept. IMO
The universities did nothing until they were forced to do so under threats from the governor. They are still woke without any morals whatsoever and will continue to be woke until every marxist is removed from every school in the country.
Texas A&M continues to proudly display the statue of their first President, Lawrence Sullivan Ross, in front of the school’s Academic Building. “Sully” was a Texas Ranger, Confederate general, President of Texas A&M University, and Governor of Texas, but the “woke” only saw Confederate general and tried to have the statue removed. A&M’s Board of Governors considered the lifetime excellence in all things and exemplary character of the man. The statue still stands. Texas A&M is NOT a woke university.