November 29, 2023

Dear Comets,

Last spring, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 17 (SB17), which was signed by the governor and affects all public universities in the state. The new law prohibits these institutions from maintaining diversity, equity and inclusion offices, and related activities.

Therefore, effective Dec. 31, 2023, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at UT Dallas will be eliminated. In addition, all programs and activities that are prohibited by SB17 will be terminated. To be clear, the AccessAbility Resource Center will continue to operate with no disruption to student and employee accommodations, as disability and accessibility are not impacted by SB17.

To ensure UT Dallas can continue to meet the needs of our campus community in a manner that is fully compliant with SB17, a new Office of Campus Resources and Support (OCRS) will be created as of Jan. 1, 2024. As a new entity, the entire scope of OCRS is still being mapped out. However, its mission will include enhancing student community-building and supporting employees and employee resource groups.

Information about this new organization will be shared directly with various campus stakeholders in the coming weeks.

While non-compliant programs are being eliminated, we believe that The University of Texas at Dallas has long been and will continue to be a place where all members of our campus community are welcomed, treated fairly, encouraged and supported in their pursuit of excellence. Thank you for your support and understanding as we make these changes.

Sincerely,