AUSTIN, Texas — Undocumented, mixed status, temporary status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students are all feeling the impacts of Texas' recent ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in public universities.
A staff council meeting Jan. 18 at the University of Texas at Austin revealed the end of the institution's Monarch Program, which helped a wide range of students with internships, applications, financial aid and more. The webpage for the Monarch Student Program has been taken down.
According to KVUE's media partners at the Austin-American Statesman, UT Campus and Community Engagement Division vice president LaToya Smith broke the news to her fellow staff members at the meeting, stating "we were informed that we would have to cease operating that particular program."
This is not the first program at UT that has ended due to the passing of SB17. Earlier in January, UT closed the Multicultural Engagement Center.
Texas Senate Bill 17, known as the anti-DEI law, bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices, programs and training at publicly funded universities. SB17 was first approved in spring 2023 and has since impacted universities across the state.
The initiative makes Texas the second state in the country to ban such higher education initiatives. Florida also banned DEI spending earlier this year.
According to the final text of the bill, universities can't create diversity offices or hire employees to conduct DEI work. They also can't require any DEI training as a condition for being hired or admitted. University practices must be "color-blind and sex neutral."
The bill, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, also states that university leaders can't spend state money until they comply with the new law and that university governing boards must create policies to discipline employees who violate it.
An immigrant student group not affiliated with UT, Rooted, is providing newfound support for students who benefitted from the Monarch Program.