In a move that has drawn protests and demands for reinstatement, the University of Texas at Austin has discontinued a program supporting undocumented students, the Monarch program, following the enforcement of Senate Bill 17. This legislation, which took effect on January 1, bans diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at public colleges and universities across Texas.
Monarch, inaugurated in 2016 through student activism, provided resources not only for undocumented students but also for students with temporary statuses and those from mixed-status families. The program was a beacon of support that offered scholarships awarding recipients between $500 and $1,000 annually. However, according to a university statement, this program “potentially violates Texas’ new ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in state universities and colleges.”
The UT Rooted Collective, an Immigrant Student Liberation Collective at the university, has argued that SB17 should not have impacted Monarch since the program catered to students of various races, ethnicities, and genders. The group claims the termination of the Monarch program has left undocumented students struggling to support themselves and contends that the decision was made “behind closed doors, suddenly, and without notice.”
The students, along with local organizations, are now attempting to “fill the gap left by the closure of the Monarch program.” They are calling for the university to explain the rationale for the closure and detail how the program was implicated by SB17. There is a push for the university to issue a statement, with students demanding an immediate reinstatement of the program.
The contention surrounding the Monarch program is part of a larger backlash against the ramifications of SB17, signed by Governor Greg Abbott in June 2023. SB17 mandates that all governing boards of public higher education institutions ensure that DEI offices are not established or maintained, nor are DEI statements issued. The Multicultural Engagement Center (MEC) at UT has also been affected, discontinuing celebratory graduation ceremonies for Black, Latinx, and Asian students.
Texas is not alone in making these sweeping changes. Ohio and Missouri have also seen universities revising or halting scholarship distributions that take race into account following their respective Attorney General’s directives. The University of Alabama and universities in Kentucky have ended specific programs targeting students from rural areas, minority groups, and undocumented students.
Relevant articles:
– Texas college program supporting undocumented students cut due to DEI ban, sparks protest, FOX News, 04/23/2024
– Breaking News, The New Republic, Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:19:00 GMT
– Duke recently ended its scholarship program for Black students. What have other universities done?, Duke Chronicle, Mon, 22 Apr 2024 01:44:00 GMT