BREAKING: Dallas College Appears To Break State DEI Law
Dallas College will review and remove a dozen job descriptions posted on its website due to an investigation from The Dallas Express.
DX contacted the community college after 12 postings mandated employees advance or adhere to DEI as a condition of employment in what appeared to be contravention of state law.
"Dallas College is committed to following all applicable laws and has worked diligently to comply with the requirements of SB 17 which became effective approximately three months ago. The College conducted a thorough review of its job descriptions and job postings prior to the effective date of the law, however, in an institution with hundreds of roles and hundreds of job postings it is possible that, despite its diligent efforts, additional work remains to be done. The referenced job postings appear to have been posted since the effective date of SB 17 and appear to contain language that might run contrary to Dallas College’s commitment to compliance with SB 17 and those postings, and others, will be removed and reviewed to ensure compliance with this new law. Dallas College will continue to train employees on the requirements of SB 17."
SB 17 refers to Senate Bill 17, a law signed by Gov. Abbott in June 2023 that banned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Texas higher education starting on January 1, 2024.
The bill "prohibits public institutions of higher education from establishing or maintaining DEI offices, officers, employees, or contractors that perform the duties of a DEI office. The bill also prohibits requiring related training," per the bill analysis committee report. The bill also reaffirmed other prohibitions on race-preferential hiring in public employment.
The offending job listings, which are still available as of the time of this writing, appear for positions across the educational institution and explicitly mandated DEI adherence in a variety of ways.
The Department Chair, Culinary Arts and Hospitality role, a high-ranking faculty position, mandated several years of experience advancing DEI. Under minimum qualifications, the job description stated a candidate must have “At least (3) three years of higher education-based experience including… a demonstrated commitment to diversity and equity in education through leadership, scholarship, teaching, or service.”
High-ranking administrative positions had nearly identical requirements.
The Vice Provost, E-Learning role requires the candidate to have “an adaptability to diversity” and “A deep appreciation for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a track record of promoting these values within the academic school.”
While these job descriptions could be perceived as only creating an expectation for subordinates to advance DEI if they want to be promoted to the highest echelons of the organization, other job descriptions for lower-ranking positions made the expectation explicit in varying positions of the organizational hierarchy.
An Awards Coordinator position, which is responsible for coordinating students with scholarships, had a similar description.
Awards Coordinators are required to have a “[d]emonstrated knowledge of principles of equity and inclusion and a demonstrated commitment to the promotion of diversity.”
Some job descriptions found ways to diffuse DEI across the duties and responsibilities sections beyond the contiguous “diversity, equity, and inclusion” formula.
One description of a Student Success Coach required the public employee to “[e]mploy equity-minded strategies aimed at ensuring engagement and support for historically marginalized and underserved student populations.”
This position was also charged with “address[ing] historic and systemic inequities for student success.” What these present-day systemic inequities are, within a DEI context, was not specified in the description.
A Military-Connected Services Program Lead description required the lead to have a “proven track record of enhancing… institutional [italics added] diversity, equity and inclusion”, while the numerous faculty positions required the applicant to advance “academic equity.”
The overtness of this instance makes it the first of its kind.
However, it is reflective of plans from other Texas university officials to skirt the ban, and resembles more covert actions elsewhere in the state.
The University of Houston appeared to shutter its DEI offices and an LGBT Resource Center, it launched a new Center for Student Advocacy & Belonging.
Similarly, after closing its DEI office, the University of North Texas’s President reallocated staff and offices from DEI programs, including affirmative action, Title IX, and equal employment opportunity, to the division of finance and administration.
The tension between the state and its universities resembles the heated debate that surrounded SB 17’s passage.
Opponents said the bill would damage intellectual inquiry.
“By stifling open discussions on race, gender, and social justice, this legislation denies our young minds the opportunity to understand the diverse world they live in and perpetuates the cycle of ignorance and discrimination,” Texas Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City) tweeted.
SB 17’s author, Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), asserted the legislation would “ensur[e] our campuses return to focusing on the strength of diversity and promoting a merit-based approach where individuals are judged on their qualifications, skills, and contributions.”
*This a syndicated posting of Cowtown Caller and The Dallas Express written for both platforms by Kellen McGovern Jones *
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