UT Austin to merge Mexican American and Latino Studies into new social and cultural analysis department

February 13, 2026

The University of Texas at Austin notified students and faculty by email on Jan. 12, around 11 a.m., that it will move forward with a plan to reorganize parts of the College of Liberal Arts. President Jim Davis described the plan as an attempt to address inconsistencies and fragmentation across departments, and said the university is reorganizing how it assigns resources to meet its educational goals.

Under the plan, the Department of Mexican American and Latino Studies will merge with African and African Diaspora Studies, American Studies, and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. These units will be combined into a new Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, a structure the university says will centralize related programs and courses.

Students enrolled in affected programs reacted strongly to the announcement. Paul Moerschell, a third-year Government major who is taking classes in Mexican American and Latino Studies, said the decision left him furious and worried it will limit access to focused Latino studies. Second-year student Catherine Covarrubiaz, who studies Government and Mexican American and Latino Studies, said she feels betrayed by an institution she once admired.

Faculty members also objected. Julie Minich, a professor who teaches in Mexican American and Latino Studies and English, described the move as a setback, saying it undoes decades of intellectual development and program growth within the university.

The consolidation follows a broader review that began after the university announced audits of certain gender-related courses and formed an Administrative Structure Advisory Committee in October 2025 to evaluate possible changes in the college. University leaders have not tied the decision directly to recent state bills or federal directives, but students and some faculty view the timing as connected to external political pressure, including Senate Bills 17 and 37 and a federal academic pact.

Students said the reorganization ignored a large segment of campus opposition, and they worry about long-term effects on curriculum, faculty lines, and community-focused scholarship. University officials framed the change as an administrative step to better align departments and resources, and the campus community is awaiting details about implementation, staffing, and how degree programs will be affected.