The University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler), under the UT System, has diversity, equity and inclusion programs and plans for hiring faculty and staff. UT Tyler’s Global Awareness and Diversity branch was set up to allow faculty and staff to bring “diverse voices” into the curriculum and teaching standards. New DEI initiatives can be found throughout the UT Tyler campus, according to their website.
“The PLC (Professional Learning Committee) on Global Awareness and Diversity is designed to help faculty members incorporate global perspectives and diverse voices in the classroom in varying ways, from course material and content to students’ voices themselves,” according to the University’s website. “This PLC will also support faculty members in diversifying and transforming their classroom, even while it reaches out to the community to bridge the gap between the world, the community, and the campus.”
A document that lists a series of questions for candidates applying to UT Tyler states “these are examples that hiring departments and search committees can use to help them assess candidates’ commitment and experience with creating inclusive and equitable educational and workplace environments.” Some of the questions are: “What does it mean for you to have a commitment to diversity? How have you demonstrated that commitment, and how would you see yourself demonstrating it here?” and “What diversity, inclusion and or cultural competence training have you received and how have you applied what you learned on the job?” There are 34 “suggested” questions on the list for the hiring process. It is unclear if this list is currently being used to hire faculty and staff.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, UT Tyler encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply, according to their website. The Office of Human Resources states, “Employment decisions are made by providing equal opportunity and access on the basis of qualifications and merit,” according to the UT Tyler HR webpage.
According to the University of Texas System website, “Inclusive Hiring” is a priority for their universities: “Recruiting, hiring and onboarding practices help reduce turnover and ensure UT System Administration has the right talent in place to help meet its initiatives in a productive and effective way.”
According to the UT System Policy webpage on hiring executive positions, the interviewer must “conduct a search process that delivers a pool for interview by the final decision maker that includes female, male and underrepresented group candidates.” Underrepresented groups include “a candidate who is a member of one or more of the following groups: Hispanic or Latino; Black or African American; Asian; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; or American Indian or Alaska Native.”
An American Enterprise Institute (AEI) study states that those in favor of implementing DEI in the process of hiring university faculty and staff are excited about the inclusiveness and open opportunities it provides especially for minority communities. Those who oppose requiring DEI in the hiring process and workplace view the tactic as adhering to what is politically correct. Critics argue there has been a flip in hiring from quality and scholarship to now purely based on a candidate’s knowledge and experience with DEI. Critics suggest DEI is becoming much more important than basic qualifications at most universities. This leads to ideological conformity where candidates are removed from the pool of applicants purely for displaying poor DEI statements or not having the correct DEI experience.
In a data collection study done by AEI, it was questioned whether the strategic diversity plans put in place by universities attain their goals. Seeing no evidence of the betterment of campus climate or research productivity, they conclude requiring DEI in the hiring process has instead a fundamentally political end.
Austin Journal reached out to UT Tyler for comment on their usage of DEI policies in the hiring process but did not get a response.
