The University of Texas System will halt all new diversity, equity, and inclusion policies following increased scrutiny due to their ties to critical race theory.

At its quarterly meeting Wednesday, the University of Texas System Board of Regents announced that it would pause all new diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) directed all state agencies, including public universities, to cease implementing DEI in hiring practices.

GREG ABBOTT TELLS TEXAS TO BAN DEI IN HIRING AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOLLOWING 'WOKE' REPORTS

"The topic of DEI activities on college campuses has received tremendous attention nationally and here in Texas. To be clear, we welcome, celebrate, and strive for diversity on our campuses in our student and our faculty population," Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife said, according to the Austin American-Statesman. "I also think it's fair to say that in recent times, certain DEI efforts have strayed from the original intent to now imposing requirements and actions that, rightfully so, has raised the concerns of our policymakers about those efforts on campuses across our entire state."

Eltife said the university system would work with state legislators looking into its DEI policies as the state's 2023 legislative session gets underway. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, has prioritized legislation in the state Senate that would ban DEI programs in higher education institutions.

"Given the clear legislative focus, we have paused any new DEI policies on our campuses and have asked for a report on current policies across all our campuses," Eltife said. "This will give our board a chance to review the various policies systemwide. We will await any action from the legislature for implementation by the University of Texas System at the appropriate time, and if needed, the board may consider a uniform DEI policy for the entire UT System."

In a memo to state agencies prohibiting DEI in state hiring practices earlier this month, Abbott chief of staff Gardner Pate said DEI policies have been "manipulated to push policies that expressly favor some demographic groups to the detriment of others."

"Rather than increasing diversity in the workplace, these DEI initiatives are having the opposite effect and are being advanced in ways that proactively encourage discrimination in the workplace," Pate said. "Illegally adding DEI requirements as a screening tool in hiring practices or using DEI as a condition of employment leads to the exclusion and alienation of individuals from the workplace."

The effort to outlaw DEI policies in Texas higher education mirrors a national trend in Republican-controlled states. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has put forward legislation in his state that would ban DEI programs in universities.

The Washington Examiner has reported on several DEI initiatives at Texas medical schools in recent weeks. The schools have earned high marks for their DEI policies from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Meanwhile, the conservative legal group America First Legal has sued several of the state's medical schools, alleging race-based discrimination against white and Asian applicants in their admissions practices.