AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- The "Eyes Of Texas" will continue to be upon the University of Texas, the school announced Monday.
University leaders announced Monday that the school song will stay in its current form. A number of other changes will happen across the campus to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
UT interim president Jay Hartzell addressed the changes in a letter to the university community Monday morning. "Aspects of [the song's> origin," Hartzell wrote, "whether previously widely known or unknown, have created a rift in how the song is understood and celebrated, and that must be fixed. It is my belief that we can effectively reclaim and redefine what this song stands for by first owning and acknowledging its history in a way that is open and transparent."
"Together, we have the power to define what the Eyes of Texas expect of us, what they demand of us, and what standard they hold us to now. 'The Eyes of Texas' should not only unite us, but hold all of us accountable to our institution's core values. But we first must own the history. Only then can we reimagine its future, and I look forward to partnering with our campus community to do just that."
Hartzell detailed a number of other changes the school will be making, following conversations with alumni, faculty, staff, and community members:
- Work with a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni to allocate a multimillion-dollar investment from Athletics' revenue to worthy university programs — whether on or off campus – that work to recruit, attract, retain and support Black students. We expect that our investments will include at a minimum:
- Expanding our presence and outreach in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and elsewhere to better recruit outstanding high school students from underrepresented groups. We will raise additional funds to establish more private scholarships specifically dedicated to recruiting students such as those 1,900 Black students who were accepted here and chose to go elsewhere.
- Providing significant new resources to expand programs that provide transformative opportunities for future Black leaders, including some of the outstanding work already being done within the university.
- In conjunction with the Texas Exes, and expanding and using Texas Athletics' 4Ever Texas program, launch an effort to improve our students' ability to position themselves for post-graduation success. This will maximize the impact of our vast alumni network and corporate relationships.
- Adopt a university-wide plan to recruit, develop and retain world-class faculty members who bring more diversity to our research and teaching missions. This plan has been in the works for more than a year under the leadership of Vice Provost for Diversity Ted Gordon and includes new funding for research and scholarship.
- Refocus and sharpen the implementation of our Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (UDIAP), which was released in 2017. We will regularly signal our priorities, commitment and progress toward measurable goals through a refreshed and better-communicated plan, overseen by Vice President Leonard Moore.
- Expand the UT Austin Police Oversight Committee to include more community members and a broader range of students, have it meet more frequently, and broaden its mission to oversee student and community engagement, communications and the exploration of creative approaches to community policing, on-campus safety and wellness issues.
As far as university buildings and symbols, Hartzell detailed the following changes:
- Rename the Robert L. Moore Building as the Physics, Math and Astronomy Building and provide historical explanations within the building about why past university leaders chose to name the space for Professor Moore.
- Honor Heman M. Sweatt in additional ways: by creating the Heman M. Sweatt Entrance to T.S. Painter Hall as the main entrance on 24th Street; placing a statue of Mr. Sweatt near the entrance; and then reimagining, redesigning and rededicating a major space in the building as an exhibit and gathering place where we will tell the story of the U.S. Supreme Court case of Sweatt v. Painter. This will recognize Mr. Sweatt's courage and leadership in changing the world through the 1950 case that he won, allowing him and other Black students to attend UT. This will also place Painter Hall within the context of our university's resistance to integration under T.S. Painter's presidency, and ultimately to the Sweatt decision's crucial role in integrating public education.
- Honor the Precursors, the first Black undergraduates to attend The University of Texas at Austin, by commissioning a new monument on the East Mall. This will be the central feature of a larger space dedicated to the pioneering students and faculty members who helped move the university toward becoming more inclusive.
- Erect a statue for Julius Whittier, the Longhorns' first Black football letterman, at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.
- At the suggestion of the Jamail family, rename Joe Jamail Field at the stadium in honor of Texas' two great Heisman Trophy winners, Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams, two Longhorn legends with a record of commitment to the university.
- Educate our community and visitors about the history and context of many of the names that remain, such as the Littlefield Fountain, the statue of Gov. Jim Hogg, the Belo Center and the pedestals on which a series of statues stood until 2017. Building on the work done by the Campus Contextualization Committee, this education may take the form of plaques and a website that our community and visitors can easily access from their phones.
In closing, Hartzell called the process "humbling," and the continued evolution of the university that has been taking place for 137 years.
