By Royel M. Johnson
Faculty Affiliate, Pullias Center for Higher Education and USC's Race & Equity Center

Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock — and honestly, who could blame you given these trying times — you’re likely aware of the ongoing assault on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in higher education and beyond. Across the nation, at least six states have effectively banned or severely curtailed DEI-related policies and practices at public colleges and universities.

Among the first to take such sweeping action was Texas, with the passage of Senate Bill 17 (SB17). Texas, like Florida, is a bellwether state, representing the face of a well-funded, orchestrated conservative movement seeking to dismantle decades of hard-won progress by social justice advocates.

A new report from USC's Race & Equity Center, Under Siege: Campus Racial Climates in Texas Higher Education Amid Anti-DEI Legislation, explores the potential implications of SB17, providing a critical baseline to understand its impact on campus racial climates. We draw on survey data from 13 public higher education institutions in the state of Texas that participated in the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates—the nation’s leading survey enterprise for campus racial climate assessments.

Our analysis reveals troubling disparities across student populations:

• Students of Color, especially Black and Middle Eastern students, report lower perceptions of campus diversity and inclusion. These perceptions correlate with significant declines in academic performance, emotional well-being, and a diminished sense of belonging.
• LGBTQ+ students and gender-diverse individuals report some of the lowest perceptions of safety and inclusion. The dismantling of programs that foster affirming spaces exacerbates these vulnerabilities.
• Alarmingly, 44.5% of students reported not learning about race from anyone on campus. The removal of multicultural education programs threatens to leave students ill-prepared for an increasingly diverse society.

As evidenced, SB 17 eliminates critically important mechanisms designed to address these very disparities. Without DEI offices and infrastructures — whether affinity spaces, culturally based programs, or other initiative — marginalized students across the state face a heightened risk of precarity and exclusion.

In the report, we present four key recommendations to navigate these challenges. Here’s a preview:

1. Sustain Equity Work Through Creative Strategies: Campus leaders must explore alternative ways to sustain DEI work, such as leveraging private funding from alumni, philanthropic organizations, or local partnerships. The absence of state funding should not serve as an excuse to retreat from this vital work, which aligns closely with institutional missions.
2. Counter Misinformation with Data-Driven Advocacy: Leaders must challenge misconceptions by leveraging research findings, including those from this report, to demonstrate the importance of DEI programs for student success and institutional health. We also emphasize the need for transparency through disaggregated data reporting, ensuring inequities are both visible and addressed.
3. Monitor and Document the Costs of Disinvestment: Institutions should systematically track the tangible impacts of disinvestment in DEI, including changes in student retention, graduation rates, and satisfaction. Communicating these findings to policymakers is essential to building a case for reform.
4. Reframe the Economic Argument: DEI is not just a moral imperative but an economic necessity. A diverse and successful student body contributes to workforce competitiveness and state prosperity, making equity-focused initiatives central to Texas’s future success.

With the incoming Trump Administration, the stakes could not be higher. SB 17 poses significant challenges, but it also presents an opportunity for institutions to demonstrate bold leadership and unwavering commitment to the principles of DEI, which so many have championed for years as part of their mission.

For more insights, explore the full report here.