Students and employees lost access to LinkedIn Learning on Thursday because of diversity, equity and inclusion training courses on the platform, which are banned under Senate Bill 17.

The loss of access happened when it was brought to light that LinkedIn Learning included a library of DEI trainings. As soon as the college found out about the trainings, they took it down in compliance with the state law.

Antonio Allen, TCC general counsel, said the training was not provided intentionally.

“So, this was the only way that we could ensure that we were going to be in compliance with the law,” Allen said.

Senate Bill 17, which was signed into law last year by Gov. Greg Abbott, bans mandatory diversity training, hiring practices and activities on college campuses.

“It was actually brought to our attention by a staff member who asked us to go out and take a look at it,” Allen said. “And so then, when we looked at it, we realized that, yeah, we had an issue of potential violation of SB 17, and that we needed to act to fix it.”

Staff members were confused when they couldn’t access their accounts.

“We’ve already had calls yesterday evening from a couple of faculty members who have, for a few semesters now, used LinkedIn Learning content for their courses,” NE library manager James Ponder said.

The abrupt shutdown of access left employees looking for alternative resources to use.

Ponder said students and staff have access to the Learning Express Library, an online database covering material from technology, courses, exam prep and career training.

Allen said TCC had conversations with LinkedIn Learning about possibly having a separate library, but LinkedIn Learning could not accommodate this. TCC is looking for alternative platforms for students and employees to use, he said.

“When we sent the initial notice out, the employees and faculty received a notice basically asking them to contact their deans and their vice presidents and their campus leadership to assist and replacing any contact, give guidance,” Provost Shelley Pearson said. “We have other platforms that are still available to students and making sure that we are talking about LinkedIn Learning specifically, and not LinkedIn.”

Radio/TV/Film student Consuelo Palacio benefited from LinkedIn Learning in the past.

“It’s a building block because I took Premier Pro for the first time and then I rushed right into an accelerated class,” Palacio said. “I didn’t have the foundations that I needed … and so having access to the LinkedIn Learning provided me with some basic foundations that teachers now expect for you to have readily come out of school, and I’m older, I’m an older person so I really need that extra instruction.”

Mental Health Coordinator Michelle Burris said the last time she used LinkedIn Learning was 2022 and received certifications in different areas. She took courses in critical thinking, judgment and decision making, writing principles, some marketing foundations and event planning.

“It was helpful to me at the time,” she said.

Emily Mains, student development associate at NE Career Services, said she used LinkedIn Learning at her job to help students with professional development.

“I do hope that we can find something as soon as possible that can fill the same purposes that LinkedIn Learning did serve since that was our main online professional development platform,” she said.

Huda Qureshi and Lauren Harper contributed to this report.