UNT students protest censorship with a funeral at Board of Regents meeting

Students from the University of North Texas (UNT) held a funeral protest at the UNT Board of Regents meeting in Fort Worth on Thursday to oppose state laws they say are censoring academic programs. Dressed in black, they carried an urn in UNT’s Mean Green colors and placed it in a horse-drawn hearse, accompanied by signs reading 'May she rest in peace' and 'Mourning academic freedom.' The demonstration targeted Senate Bill 17 and other legislation restricting gender and ethnic studies programs, which students and faculty claim have led to the elimination of 187 activities, resources, and undergraduate programs. The protest was organized by UNT’s Students Engaged in Advancing Texas and Young Democratic Socialists of America chapters, with participants traveling from Denton and Houston. Sumya Paruchuri, a freshman student and development director of the advocacy group, called the university’s compliance with state laws a 'death of academia,' warning that professors face prosecution for noncompliance. 'We will not let it die quietly,' she said, noting similar protests at the University of Texas and Texas Tech. Mariela Nuñez-Janes, an anthropology professor and vice president of the UNT chapter of the American Association of University Professors, compared the changes to 'forced disappearances' of faculty and students targeted for their beliefs. She cited reporting from the North Texas Daily, which documented the swift elimination of programs, including those supporting Hispanic students, such as the 'Latino roadshow' recruitment initiative. Valarie Martinez-Ebers, director of the Latina/o and Mexican American Studies Political Science Department, wept during the meeting, recalling UNT’s history as a Hispanic Serving Institution and the loss of resources that once attracted diverse students. Faculty and students emphasized the chilling effect on academic freedom, with professors forced to overcomply with state regulations out of fear. The demonstration would have been larger if held before graduation, as most students were on summer break. The protest highlighted broader concerns about state interference in higher education, with participants vowing to continue advocacy against what they describe as politically motivated censorship.