Institutional Adaptation and the Rollback of LGBTQIA+ Supports Under Texas SB 17

• In Event: Culture Wars in the Classroom: From Book Bans to DEI Rollbacks

Abstract

The paper analyzes the impact of anti-DEI legislation, such as Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) in a community college setting in respect to support for LGBTQIA+ students. Guided by the question, What happens to LGBTQIA+ student supports when DEI-related infrastructure is dismantled?, this study explores three core inquiries: (1) How did the institution interpret and implement SB 17? (2) What changes occurred in support structures for LGBTQIA+ students? (3) How do students and staff experience and make sense of those changes? This research contributes to three areas of scholarship: (1) the educational consequences of DEI policy rollbacks in higher education, (2) the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students in community college contexts, and (3) institutional navigation of compliance under restrictive political mandates.

Authors

• Sherri Castillo, Austin Community College

• Randy Lopez, University of Texas at Austin

• Keren Esmeralda Gomez, University of Texas at Austin