University Sponsors Trip To DEI Conference Excluding Whites, Asians

Texas A&M University is reportedly sponsoring a trip for faculty and PhD students to attend a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) conference that explicitly states it will not allow white or Asian students to attend.

The PhD Project’s Annual Conference is intended for individuals who “Identify as Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic American, or Native American/Canadian Indigenous,” according to its website. Emails posted on X reveal the taxpayer-funded university is inviting students to join a sponsored trip to the event and claims the program does not violate the state’s ban on school-sponsored DEI initiatives.

The organization hosting the conference states that its purpose is to increase diversity and equity in doctoral programs and uses findings from a not-yet released study that claims the practice of racially gerrymandering student and faculty representation in programs is “not just ethical, it’s evidence-based,” according to its website. The conference offers prospective doctoral students an opportunity to network with current students and “a realistic look at every phase of the PhD journey.”

In 2023 Texas banned DEI in higher 🎓Education, opting instead to focus on a “merit-based approach where individuals are judged on their qualifications, skills, and contributions.” Several