Texas Taxes, Texas Tuitions: Goldwater Report Exposes $100M DEI Mandate in Public Universities

In Texas, where independence and self-reliance run deep, the influence of politically driven mandates in our public universities is drawing serious scrutiny. A new Goldwater Institute report reveals that taxpayer-supported institutions across the country—and even in our own state—are forcing students to take courses on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) just to earn a degree. The report estimates that these mandates cost Texas students and taxpayers roughly $100 million every four years.

At the University of Texas at Austin, for instance, students must complete a course that examines “systemic barriers to equality and inclusiveness” affecting underrepresented cultural groups. The curriculum pushes students to consider how they can “minimize marginalization” in America. Critics argue that these courses promote a one-sided, leftist perspective, encouraging an activist agenda that detracts from the true purpose of higher education—the pursuit of knowledge and the preparation of well-rounded citizens.

For Texans who value academic rigor and fiscal responsibility, this trend is deeply troubling. The funds spent on these courses could be better used to enhance core academic programs or streamline degree completion. President Donald Trump, in dismantling federal support for DEI initiatives, exempted “academic instruction” in higher education from these mandates, leaving oversight of academic standards to the states.

In Texas, legislative champions have already introduced bills modeled on Goldwater’s Freedom from Indoctrination Act. These proposals aim to end mandatory DEI coursework while protecting faculty from being forced to adopt DEI practices in their teaching. Such legislation would return our public universities to educate students without imposing a politically charged curriculum.