In an email to Texas A&M University System Chief Executive Officers, Chancellor John Sharp responded to the system’s recent statement removing diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, statements from hiring and admission practices. System Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications Laylan Copelin confirmed to The Battalion that the email, which was shared on Reddit, was authentic.  

Sharp said the removal of DEI would not lessen the system’s commitment to diversity, but instead, enhance it. Sharp cites the opportunity to recruit nearly 2,000 African American high school graduates in the top 10% of their cohort from across the state. 

“Your team must get off their butts and get into schools in every community to help these kids understand how they can get a college degree,” the email reads. “This is the kind of strategic recruiting that I expect you to lead at your campus. This aggressive hands-on recruiting strategy that will help recruit the best and brightest students and faculty/staff — from every walk of life — into our universities and classrooms.” 
Copelin said Sharp’s language was meant to be “memorable.”

A&M should be strategically connecting with applicants and their families and provide a local approach to ensure the A&M system will continue to lead Texas in preparing the next generation, Sharp said. 
“By y’all doing these things and doing them well, then this DEI statement will propel us to be a System that excels instead of one that is not meeting expectations,” the email reads. 
After the email was sent to executive officers, it was shared with system leaders, A&M deans, department heads and faculty.