College of Liberal Arts Dean Dr. Jim Davis informed department chairs of the changes in a 30-minute meeting last week. The restructure is expected to be complete by September 2027.
Under the plan, the departments of African and African Diaspora Studies; American Studies; Mexican American and Latina/o Studies; and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies will be merged into a new Department of Social and Cultural Analysis. Separately, the departments of French and Italian Studies; Germanic Studies; and Slavic and Eurasian Studies will be folded into a new Department of European and Eurasian Studies. The university has also launched a curriculum review to determine which majors and minors will continue to be offered under the consolidated departments.
More than 800 students are currently pursuing majors, minors and graduate degrees across the seven departments, according to Save UT, a faculty group opposing the merger. The full impact on students' paths to degree completion remains unclear, though UT President Jim Davis said enrolled students can continue pursuing their degree programs during the transition.
"Of course, students already enrolled in the departments being consolidated can continue to pursue their degree programs within the new departments while the curriculum review and departmental change is underway," Davis said in a notice to students, faculty and staff.
Faculty pushed back sharply. In a written statement, faculty said "these changes have been rushed through with minimal weigh-in from faculty and no input at all from staff or students."
Davis described the reorganization as a response to a review that found "some significant inconsistencies and fragmentation across the college's departments," but offered few other specifics. Staff present at the meeting said they were not given details on how the consolidation would affect research centers, institutes or staffing.
