University of Texas leaders face criticism over response to Bo French post

University of Texas at Austin leadership is facing backlash following a social media post by Bo French, a Republican candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission. French shared a photograph of South Asian students celebrating a football victory, suggesting their presence at the university represented a "problem" that was "far worse than anyone imagined."

Internal emails obtained by The Texas Tribune reveal that students expressed disappointment with the university's response. UT-Austin President Jim Davis issued a statement affirming that all students are Longhorns, but critics argued the response was insufficient because it did not explicitly condemn French’s remarks or name him.

One Indian American doctoral student requested that the university president directly address the racism and affirm that Indian-Americans belong on campus. The incident has highlighted the growing tension public university administrators face when students become targets of political rhetoric.