The Lone Star Standard reached out to the University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) for information regarding their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, programs, training, hiring practices and student engagement.
UT Tyler provided budgetary information on anything related to DEI. According to Legal Affairs at UT Tyler, the College of Education and Psychology and School of Health Professions have no records.
From the information provided, which will be updated as more information is sent, UT Tyler spent a total of $40,871.97 on DEI practices, trainings, hiring and other programs.
On Student Engagement, UT Tyler funded a Culture Panel Discussion for $650 in 2020-2021 and a Latinx Conference for $747. The largest allotment of funds went towards a Campus Climate Survey that spent $11,755.
Additionally, the Legal Affairs team included "College Student Wellbeing, Trauma & Resiliency" with Florida State University that cost $2,198.70. Under Title IX, UT Tyler spent $669.67 on a "Safe Zone Training Program.”
UT Tyler, under the UT System, has DEI programs and DEI 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. According to the information received from the Legal Affairs team, UT Tyler hired numerous new staff to run the DEI programs and office.
Training for this new staff cost $3,941 in 2021-2022 and included the following: "ADA Coordinator training (SAR office), AHEAD Institute (SAR office), AHEAD national conference (SAR office), AHEAD Start for new professionals (SAR office), AHEAD Leadership Conference (SAR office), Accessing Higher Ground (SAR office), Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 AHEAD webinars (shared with campus stakeholders) and AHEAD: Return to Campus trainings (shared with campus stakeholders).”
DEI membership dues cost $765 for the AHEAD membership (SAR office) and ATHEN membership (SAR office), the budget shows. According to the Legal Affairs team, under Student Engagement and Success in the FY 2021-2022, a Travel Prospective Employee cost $4,286.73, Moving Expenses cost $2,886.50, Payroll cost $7,996.04, Payroll Related cost $3,289.24 and Expenses cost $1,687.09. In total, costing $20,145.60.
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.
