University of North Texas

The Division of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access offers various "Diversity and Inclusion Training" programs online.

In Fall 2020, UNT created the "UNiTing Race Relations" program which separates participates by "INTRAgroups" and then reconvenes as "INTERgroups."

"Faculty Success" created the "Anti-Bias and Cultural Awareness Program." In Fall 2020, this program trained over 2,000 faculty and staff.

As part of the "Moving Forward Together" plan, UNT created a Strategic Plan. This plan seeks to implement training programs for all members of the university. Sessions for "diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence" will be required of students at orientation.

As of June 2020, "President Smatresk and university leaders worked together to begin identifying needed training and developed an actionable plan for training at all levels – from first-year students to faculty and staff."

Starting with the 2020-2021 year, UNT hopes to "require a cultural competency course of all its students in either a first-year seminar or as a standalone course integrated within Orientation and Transition Programs." This cultural competency training will also be required of faculty and staff.

The UNT history department created a new History Antiracism syllabus in response to George Floyd's death. This course includes one of the several texts written by Ibram X. Kendi, an author who is notable for his book, "How to Be an Antiracist."

UNT might decide to require diversity and anti-racist curriculum.

In June 25, 2020, the UNT Staff Senate Executive Committee called upon the President to engage in its action plan, "Moving Forward Together" for "Improving Diversity and Inclusion on Campus." This was submitted as part of UNT's Black Lives Matter initiatives.

UNT hopes to create a Diversity Council that will convene every semester "to monitor and review the university's progress toward racial and ethnic equity."

Following the death of Darius Tarver in 2020, UNT hopes to "divest from the Denton Police Department." UNT also hopes to make other reforms for its police department, including required implicit bias training.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion's mission is: "The University of North Texas Office of Diversity and Inclusion facilitates the development of a socially just and intentionally inclusive environment for the university community through Cultural Humility and Inclusion, Education and Identity Development, and Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships." The office provides many resources as a commitment to its mission.

On August 7, 2023, Legal Insurrection published an article titled "University of North Texas Dissolves the DEI Office," which discusses how UNT has become the first "Texas university to publicly announce the dismantling of its DEI offices following the passage of SB 17.” According to LI, "In the wake of the Texas Legislature passing a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and pressure from elected state officials, many universities have had to grapple with shuttering the doors of their social justice-focused departments."

UNT published a November 30, 2023 memo from the Office of General Counsel which gives guidance to UNT officials on how to proceed in light of Texas law SB-17 (effective Jan. 1, 2024) which outlaws pubic higher education institutions from "establishing or maintaining" a diversity, equity, and inclusion office.

The Office of the Provost's "White Accountability Group" is an Employee Resource Group that "aims to create a more intentionally inclusive and equitable environment through our actions" and to "promote allyship, accompliceship, and anti-racism among white employees for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) at UNT...."

UNT's Africana Studies Certificate prepares students to "impact their communities in ways that will promote social justice, anti-racism, inclusion, equity and mutual respect."

UNT's College of Education hosted an event titled "Fighting Racism with Visiting Author Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul" which was an "educational event on understanding anti-racism." Dr. Cherry-Paul "pulls from her practices in anti-racism pedagogy to ensure teachers are meeting their students needs in the educational system."

UNT's Division of Integrity and Compliance issued an update on Texas Law SB-17 (effective Jan. 1, 2024), which prohibits the establishment of DEI offices in Texas higher education institutions. The Division states that "Bridge authors cannot create training material centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion as is applies to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation" or "assign or require an employee to take training material centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion as is applies to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation."

UNT’s Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity program hosted the 13th Annual Equity and Diversity Conference in April of 2024. The conference is free for students and features workshops in "unconscious bias, stereotypes, abilities or disabilities and learning about privilege."

The President hosted two Black Lives Matter Virtual Town Halls in June 2020.

UNT has earned the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award for three years in a row. This award comes from the "INSIGHT Into Diversity" magazine.

In May of 2024, the university updated its policy regarding academic freedom and responsibility by removing the phrase, “diversity, equity and inclusion.” On May 7th faculty and staff received an email from Assistant Vice Provost Angie Cartwright stating, “Recently, the Office of General Counsel of the UNT System ruled that a sentence in UNT Policy 06.035 Academic Freedom and Academic Responsibility was legally insufficient" and that the policy was revised to "align with Texas Senate Bill 17."