The demographics of the staffers impacted most is not too surprising given those called to such work, experts say. A 2023 survey by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education found that 51% of chief diversity officers are Black, while 11% are Hispanic, 7% are Asian and 8% are white "It’s not unusual for individuals from historically marginalized groups to have interest, passion and skill sets that would respond to issues around race or achieving greater equity," said Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the association.
Several of the state’s public universities reported that no staff were let go because of the ban. In many cases, those schools saw employees quit after they were given the choice to take new jobs or apply for other positions, according to documents shared with state senators.
For instance, at the University of North Texas System, the DEI ban affected 30 employees. One senior DEI employee retired and three employees resigned after their positions were cut. The rest were reassigned.