How Well Are Texas Public Universities Serving Their Students? Third Edition

This paper represents the third installment of what will be an ongoing study of Texas public universities. This is a review of three leading, existing ranking protocols, which measure free speech, academic quality, and Return on Investment by major and program.

Key Points:

• On January 1st of 2024, SB 17 took effect. It bans all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs and staff at all Texas public universities. Are universities complying with SB 17? To find out, this paper composes the first installment of an ongoing study of Texas public universities. The current study is a review of three leading, existing ranking protocols.
• These three sets of rankings measure: (1) Free speech protections on campus, or the lack thereof; (2) Academic quality, as measured by core curriculum requirements, or the lack thereof; and (3) Texas colleges’ return on investment (ROI) which compares the financial costs and benefits (e.g., higher earnings) of acquiring a college education.
• If you find any violations of SB 17 at your public university, you can report by visiting NODEITX.com or by calling 855-NO-DEI-TX.

*This paper was updated October, 2025