AUSTIN, Texas – Earlier in the year, Texas’ major ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education went into effect, prompting a polarized response from university affiliates. Now, Texas Republicans are looking to go even further.

In a Texas Senate hearing, the Subcommittee on Higher Education began evaluating higher education programs and whether or not certain initiatives should be eliminated, largely under the guise of workforce development.

“While the curriculum and course content related to DEI does not explicitly violate the letter of the law, it does contradict the spirit of the law,” said Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who chairs the committee. “The curriculum does not reflect the expectations of Texas taxpayers and the students who fund our public universities. It also fails to equip graduates with the practical knowledge and skills employers are looking for, along with high-value degrees.”

This comes just days after the Texas A&M Board of Regents ordered the University to eliminate 52 different minors and certificates, citing low enrollment. Among those programs was an LGBTQ studies minor, which drew backlash.

Asked by Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, about the perception that politics played a role in the decision, Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh denied that during Monday’s hearing, saying, “Nobody spoke to me ever about that particular program. No. A member of the legislature called and said we should get rid of this, if it was politics, it wasn’t with my office.”

University officials also talked about the implementation of Senate Bill 17, the state’s ban on DEI and the Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate affirmative action and how they have affected enrollment. Welsh told the committee that enrollment of black students increased marginally, by less than one percent, while Hispanic students decreased by one percent.

Jay Hartzell, president of UT Austin, testified that the university is “either high or basically flat.” He told the committee that the university nominally has more Hispanic and black students enrolled in that class, though he noted that black students are one percentage point lower when reflecting the university’s entire enrollment.