The nonbinding referendum is meant to gauge student opinion on the divisive alma mater but would not result in any changes to the song.
A member of the UT Longhorn band on Sept. 24, 2021. UT-Austin students will hold a referendum in late February to gauge their opinion of the university's alma mater,"The Eyes of Texas.", The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
Student leaders said the desire to include the poll stems from a 2021 university report that documented the song’s origins and history after students demanded the school get rid of it over concerns about its connections to minstrel shows. Ultimately, the report authors concluded the song was “not overtly racist.”
“Throughout this whole entire process, we never got to hear from students what they think,” said Kevin Roberts, speaker of the Student Government Assembly, in a press release. “I believe it’s time we let students have their voices heard and that we let them be the ultimate body that decides what our school song should be, not donors and not university administrators.”
The student assembly will hold its own internal vote Tuesday on whether members believe the “Eyes of Texas” should be removed. The following month, Hartzell announced a list of initiatives to make UT-Austin a more diverse and inclusive campus, which included renaming at least one building and honoring Black leaders on campus.
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