Following a social media storm and harsh rebuke from the government, Texas A&, M has abandoned plans to send some of its faculty and staff to a meeting that won’t accept white and Asian visitors.
In accordance with the intention of SB-17, this particular tournament’s restrictions on the appropriate competition of attendees apply, and as a result, we will not be sending anyone to attend this conference, according to President Mark Welsh’s Tuesday memo to the Mays Business School.
The note was provided to The College Fix on Wednesday by the school’s media relations department.
Welsh, in his letter, refers to SB 17, which was approved in 2023 and prohibits “promoting variable care of or providing specific rewards to people on the basis of race, colour, or ethnicity”. It likewise prohibits La offices, or requiring DEI comments or workshops.
Although the appropriate procedure was followed to review and approve attendance at for events, I don’t think we thoroughly considered the spirit of our state law when making the initial decision to participate, according to Welsh’s memo.
The incident first caught public attention when Christopher Rufo, a guardian for education, posted domestic Texas A&, M emails between university members assembling a committee to The PhD Conference, posted them on X on January 13.
According to Rufo,” Texas A&, M is sponsoring a trip to a La meeting that prohibits whites and Asians from attending.” The university erroneously asserts that the state’s La ban does not apply to this use of taxpayer funds. @TAMU supports racial separation and “broken the law”
EXCLUSIVE: Texas A&, M is sponsoring a trip to a La event that prohibits whites and Asians from attending. The university erroneously asserts that this use of taxpayer funds does not infringe on the state’s La restrictions. @TAMU supports and defies the rules. photograph. twitter.com/pFWYnZdweE
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔ ️ ( @realchrisrufo ) January 13, 2025
According to the league’s site,” To be eligible for the yearly event, you may:
-Identify as Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic American, or Native American/Canadian Indigenous”. This includes friends who are white or Asian, though.
According to its website, the conference is intended to “provide potential doctoral students with a realistic view of every stage of the PhD journey as well as an opportunity to network.”
The faculty members “have consulted with Texas A&, M’s Office of General Counsel regarding Mays ‘ support of The PhD Project to ensure compliance with SB17,” according to the leaked internal emails. The university part sums up the meeting group as being free from SB 17 under the law’s selection deductions.
However, a Texas governor article on X. In response to Rufo’s claims, Greg Abbott claimed that A&, M’s presence at the meeting was “against Texas rules and violates the US Constitution.” The leader will soon be gone, or it will be fixed right away.
Following the president’s opinion, Welsh recalled the school’s involvement.
Texas A&, M’s X accounts posted the following affirmation Jan. 13 when properly:” Texas A&, M does not support any institution, event, process or activity that excludes people based on race, creed, gender, age or any other discriminating factor. The purpose of SB-17 is quite apparent in that regard. We will continue to uphold the law’s text and intent.
The College Fix contacted The PhD initiative for comment, but they did not respond.
Further: Alabama’s anti-DE I law violates Constitution, fresh lawsuit alleges
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