Contact: Monty Jones, (512) 499-4363

Date: October 22, 1997

UT System News Release

Texas College and University Leaders Establish Commission on Diversity

The Texas Higher Education Coalition
The Texas Association of Community Colleges
The Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas
The Texas State University System
The Texas A&M University System
The Texas Tech University System
The University of Houston System
The University of North Texas System
The University of Texas System

AUSTIN – A statewide commission to recommend ways that Texas colleges and universities can ensure that they have diverse student bodies was announced Wednesday (October 22) by higher education leaders.

The 24-member Texas Commission on a Representative Student Body, made up of community leaders from across the state, will focus on how institutions can increase minority enrollment without affirmative action programs, which were outlawed in Texas by a federal appeals court in the Hopwood case.

"The future economic and social vitality of Texas depends on accessible and affordable higher education that extends opportunity to all members of our society," the college and university leaders said in a joint statement.

"Texas institutions are prohibited by the federal courts from continuing to use affirmative action as a technique for creating such opportunity. It is essential, therefore, that all of us work together to find effective means of achieving our common goal: a higher education system that helps to fulfill the enormous promise of our state's richly diverse population," the statement said.

"The fastest growing segments of our population are also those segments that, historically, have been the least well served by educational institutions at all levels. Based on current demographic and educational trends, Texas will, within only one generation, have a work force that is less well educated than today's population.

"This is the unsettling context in which the effects of Hopwood must be assessed. We are committed to doing everything within our power to reverse these disturbing trends. Since the challenges facing Texas are unprecedented, we are taking the extraordinary step of organizing a statewide commission to advise us on how best to proceed. We do not expect to find easy answers, but we are hopeful that this unique concentration of energies will result in realistic and innovative approaches to encourage more representative student bodies at all Texas colleges and universities."

The statement was issued by John Anthony, president of the Texas Association of Community Colleges and president of the Collin County Community College District; Herbert H. Reynolds, chancellor of Baylor University, representing the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas; Lamar G. Urbanovsky, chancellor of the Texas State University System; Barry B. Thompson, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System; John Montford, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System; Arthur K. Smith, chancellor of the University of Houston System; Alfred F. Hurley, chancellor of the University of North Texas System; and William H. Cunningham, chancellor of the University of Texas System.

They represent 43 public universities and health institutions, 50 public community college districts, and 41 independent colleges and universities, which have a combined enrollment of more than 925,000 students. Each of the eight higher education entities named three members to the commission.

The commission is charged with assessing current programs and making short-term and long-term recommendations for additional programs and strategies in four areas: recruitment, admissions, retention, and financial aid. The commission will be asked to report on these issues by August 1998.

Members of the commission will elect a chairman, and each of the eight higher education entities associated with the commission will appoint a staff member to serve as a resource person.

The Hopwood case arose when the affirmative action programs of the law school at U.T. Austin were challenged in court. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 1996 that the programs were unconstitutional and applied a ban on affirmative action at all institutions of higher education in the state. The State of Texas appealed the 5th Circuit ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case.

See below for:

Quotes from higher education leaders who joined in establishing the commission

A list of the commission members

John Anthony, president of the Texas Association of Community Colleges and president of the Collin County Community College District:

"It is the mission of Texas' 50 public community colleges to serve all students in this state without regard to socioeconomic status, disability, age, race, ethnicity or gender. The principles behind this mission include equality of opportunity, dignity of all individuals, and building of community. If we are to fulfill our commitment to the citizens of Texas, maintaining and expanding educational opportunity to our diverse population will be critical. I believe all of higher education is fully committed to fostering an environment that values diversity and is reflective of the world in which we live and work. We look forward to working with all segments of the higher education community to encourage a more representative student population on our campuses."

Herbert H. Reynolds, chancellor of Baylor University, representing the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas:

"The independent colleges and universities of Texas gladly join with our public sector colleagues in the quest for sustained representative student bodies on our campuses. Recommendations resulting from the work of this commission of distinguished Texans should prove to be of far-reaching significance."

Barry B. Thompson, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System:

"It is imperative for us to find ways to ensure the students attending Texas colleges and universities reflect the population of the state. This blue-ribbon committee brings together some of the most influential leaders of Texas. We must find ways to assure that future Texas leaders represent all Texans."

John Montford, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System:

"We don't need to be told (to increase diversity) and we don't need to have a law. We should be doing it anyway, and that is a philosophy that we are carrying forward."

Arthur K. Smith, chancellor of the University of Houston System:

"In today's post-industrial world we cannot afford to waste the intellectual potential of large and rapidly growing segments of our population. Increasingly, the most meaningful predictor of a nation's economic development and quality of life is the educational attainment of its citizens. "Even putting aside moral considerations, sheer pragmatism dictates that it is not acceptable for the better institutions of higher education of our country to return to serving just a relatively small percentage of Americans – those who happen to be privileged by their socioeconomic status. The rollback of affirmative action gains could well be a looming crisis for us as a nation, and we need to recognize it for its seriousness. "The Commission on a Representative Student Body will help all of Texas higher education evaluate the current impact of changes in affirmative action and identify ways to continue to serve all students in the state. The University of Houston is committed to working closely with the commission."

Alfred F. Hurley, chancellor of the University of North Texas System:

"All of us in the North Texas region are grateful to businessman David Biegler, former Dallas mayor Annette Strauss, and educator Hardy Murphy, who will help us ensure that we can educate a student body that is representative of the state's population. These distinguished civic leaders have once again promptly stepped forward to serve Texas."

William H. Cunningham, chancellor of The University of Texas System:

"Texas institutions of higher education have been working conscientiously for many years to expand educational opportunity and to develop more diverse campuses. Although every institution can cite areas of significant success, all agree that we must do more to ensure that the student populations of colleges and universities reflect the full richness of our state's diversity. This is a challenge of central importance to the social, cultural, political, and economic vitality of Texas in the 21st century. We are hopeful that the distinguished members of the Commission on a Representative Student Body will bring forward innovative approaches that will help us meet this challenge successfully."

Appointed by the Texas Association of Community Colleges:

Appointed by the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas:

Appointed by the Texas State University System:

Appointed by the Texas A&M University System:

Appointed by the Texas Tech University System:

Appointed by the University of Houston System:

Appointed by the University of North Texas System:

Appointed by the University of Texas System: