Employee accuses UT Tyler of skirting DEI laws

TYLER – A UT Tyler employee was placed on leave after allegedly claiming the university is still doing DEI work, despite new state laws banning the office. DEI, or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Offices, were banned from public higher education institutions in a law that took effect on Jan. 1. The law states that higher education workers can no longer sign any statements dedicated to upholding DEI or attend trainings that reference “race, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation.” Our news partner KETK reports that they have launched an investigation into the employee.

According to an article posted by the Texas Scorecard, and part of an investigation and video by Accuracy in Media, UT Tyler Director of Student Belonging, identified as Tarecka Payne, told an undercover investigator that the university had to change the name of its DEI department three times. The article states she said the university can still do DEI work, but they just have to be “creative.”

KETK News reached out to UT Tyler to hear their side of the story. According to a statement from the university, they are “investigating a video that included comments from a UT Tyler employee. The university fully follows all state and federal laws, regardless of what was portrayed in the video.”

The UT Tyler website states that Payne is still employed by the university as the Director of Student Belonging as of Thursday.

KETK News reached out to Accuracy In Media, who agreed to an interview. We hope to learn more about what their investigation uncovered on Friday.