A new report by the Texas Tribune shows that a significant number of University of Texas donors and alumni have threatened to pull their financial support and are demanding that the university president take a stronger stand supporting the school's alma mater song "The Eyes of Texas."
Activists have been campaigning for months to get rid of the song. "The Eyes of Texas" was, years ago, performed at campus blackface minstrel shows and the title is linked to a saying from Confederate Army Commander Robert E. Lee. Students opposed to the song feel that it glorifies racist traditions and figures of the past.
Emails obtained by the Texas Tribune show that the university heard from hundreds of donors in favor of keeping the tradition alive, so much so that many threatened to cancel season tickets and halt their donations if UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell didn't stand up for the song. The paper's reporting says that 70% of the donor emails were against eliminating "The Eyes of Texas".
You should check out the full piece linked above for details, but a few choice quotes from donor emails are below:
"Less than 6% of our current student body is black. The tail cannot be allowed to wag the dog….. and the dog must instead stand up for what is right. Nothing forces those students to attend UT Austin. Encourage them to select an alternate school ….NOW!"
"UT needs rich donors who love The Eyes of Texas more than they need one crop of irresponsible and uninformed students or faculty who won't do what they are paid to do..."
"It is symbolic of the disarray of this football program which you inherited. The critical race theory garbage that has been embraced by the football program and the university is doing massive irreparable damage."
Photo: Getty Images