Texas university takes heat for clearing DEI offices: 'The cruelty is stunning'

Republican State Sen. Brandon Creighton discusses the law he authored to close DEI departments at public universities.

The University of Texas at Austin (UT) is taking heat for removing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices.

Per CBS Austin, Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors, blasted UT before a scheduled speaking conference to address the school’s move to cancel DEI on campus and lay off employees.

UT laid off dozens of employees who worked in their DEI programs to comply with a new state law, the university announced last week. The Austin American-Statesman reported that a person with knowledge of the situation said 60 positions that were related to DEI work were eliminated at UT-Austin. 

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Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors, blasted UT before a scheduled speaking conference to address the school’s move to cancel DEI on campus and lay off employees. (YouTube Screenshot)

The speaking conference will involve college educators and state civil rights activists, according to CBS.

"The problem is it's really the cruelty is stunning because these are employees whose work it is to help students succeed," Mulvey said. 

She went on to say, "And that's who's getting fired. So, my question for the people implementing Senator Creighton's SB 17 is, ‘How does this help students?’ It just there's just no way you can say this is going to help students."

Mulvey explained further that DEI helps "veterans, students with disabilities, first generation students, and "all students of color." 

"They help all sorts of students. That's what