Texas A&M has backed out of plans to send some of its faculty and staff to a conference that excludes white and Asian attendees after a social media firestorm and a stern reprimand from the governor.
“This particular conference’s limitations on the acceptable race of attendees is not in line with the intent of SB-17, and, as a result, we will not be sending anyone to participate in this conference,” stated a Tuesday memo from President Mark Welsh to the Mays Business School.
The memo was provided to The College Fix on Wednesday by the university’s media relations division.
Welsh, in his memo, refers to SB 17, which was approved in 2023 and prohibits “promoting differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity.” It also prohibits DEI offices, or requiring DEI statements or trainings.
EXCLUSIVE: Texas A&M is sponsoring a trip to a DEI conference that prohibits whites and Asians from attending. The university falsely claims that this use of taxpayer funds does not violate the state's DEI ban.@TAMU is supporting racial segregation and breaking the law. pic.twitter.com/pFWYnZdweE
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) January 13, 2025