UT‑Austin eliminates African and African Diaspora Studies, Mexican American and Latino Studies, Women’s, Sexualities and Gender Studies, and the Race, Indigeneity and Migration major, marking the most aggressive cut to its liberal arts offerings in years.
Faculty Decry Political Motive
Interim chair Danielle Clealand warned the provost’s office rejected the department’s plan to keep the majors, calling the decision “censorship” and “viewpoint discrimination.” Professors Julie Minich and Lauren Gutterman labeled the move an administrative attack on critical scholarship.
University Defends Restructuring
UT‑Austin says the cuts create a more coherent curriculum and align with a new 36‑hour core requirement. Interim dean Daniel Brinks argues the college had become “overly fragmented,” and the new structure will improve intellectual coherence.
Students Still Enrolled
Current students in the eliminated programs may finish their degrees, university spokesman Mike Rosen confirmed, while incoming students will see no new slots.
System‑wide Policy Shift
The overhaul follows a May University of Texas System policy that gives presidents authority to close programs for low enrollment, cost or mission mismatch, with no faculty appeal process, according to the Texas Tribune.
Broader Trend
Texas A&M ended its women’s and gender studies degree in January, and Texas Tech has tightened rules on race, gender and sexuality research, signaling a national push to reshape higher‑education curricula.
