In the wake of previous controversy over Texas State shuttles transporting individuals to a political rally, the university canceled buses for social work students headed to Social Work Advocacy Day (SWAD), leaving dozens without transportation less than 24 hours before departure.
SWAD brings students from across Texas to the Capitol for a day of policy education, advocacy training and legislative engagement, including workshops, a rally and legislative office visits. The advocacy day operated under the National Association of Social Workers.
Dzyre Alva, social work junior, said about 90 students signed up and paid a $20 fee to attend SWAD on April 11, but after the bus cancellation, only about 30 made it.
Students were informed through a Canvas announcement sent at around 6 p.m. on April 10. “As of 4:20 this afternoon, the SWAD committee was notified that the buses we requested had been canceled,” the announcement stated. “This is an unexpected development, but as social workers, we can pivot and rally. Reach out to your people and find a way to carpool.”
Part of SWAD involves students rallying at the Texas Capitol for or against bills through signs and speeches. However, the Canvas announcement also instructed students to only bring signs “in advocacy for and not against a bill/policy/issue” and said, “no signs protesting an individual should be brought.”
“There really was no explanation because it happened so suddenly,” Alva said.
Alva said she and other students were confused, adding that one student reached out to a professor who confirmed that faculty were also informed late in the day.
“Most of [the students] and myself, we all said we did not feel supported by the school. It was unfortunate, and it stings… we’re talking about if we can even have future SWADs,” Alva said. “It just seems like we’re very restricted with what we can do.”
In a statement emailed to The Star, Texas State said some SWAD activities were appropriate for university participation, but transporting students with Bobcat shuttles, which Transdev operates, to the rally portion could be perceived as political activity.
“Some of the programming during Social Work Advocacy Day — including workshops and educational sessions — was appropriate for participation using university resources,” the university wrote. “However, the planned rally portion of the event, which in the past has included the display of signs and messaging protesting or supporting specific legislation, could have been perceived as engaging in political activity.”
Alva said a large part of the experience is students advocating for or against policy by giving speeches in front of the Capitol. However, Texas State wrote, “It is not permissible for the university to use state funds to transport students and/or employees to engage in political activities.”
Despite Texas State canceling transportation and restricting signs opposing bills the day before SWAD, planning for the advocacy day had been underway since January, including communication with Transdev for chartering buses, according to Alva.
“We were doing meetings on what bills we want to talk to our legislators about, there was a lot preparing for SWAD, and we were really excited just for a lot of that stuff, just to get taken off,” Alva said. “At first, we were encouraged to make signs and have freedom with that, but we weren’t allowed to anymore.”
The College of Applied Arts and social work faculty held a town hall on April 23 to address the transportation cancellation and students’ frustrations, which Alva attended.
“The dean just kept saying, ‘You can still advocate, but not with Texas State,’” Alva said.
Administrators acknowledged communication breakdowns but offered few clear resolutions, according to Alva.
“The town hall was basically a SWAD debrief, and they hadn’t gotten to talking about the reimbursement yet. But they are talking about reimbursing those students who did pay the $20 and were not able to go,” Alva said.
Texas State’s School of Social Work is listed as a Silver Sponsor for the 2025 SWAD event, a level that includes a $1,000 fee from the department to SWAD. Texas State’s social work department has participated in SWAD since 1997, with traveling to the Texas Capitol as a central part of the event, which Alva said Texas State had always provided transportation for.
The decision from Texas State follows scrutiny the university faced earlier this month when Bobcat Shuttles were used to transport individuals to the “Hands Off!” protest on April 5 in Austin, triggering a review.
The “Hands Off!” protest was a nationwide mobilization opposed to President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, drawing thousands of participants, including students from across Texas.
After backlash from individuals like Texas Rep. Brian Harrison, Texas State said it was reviewing its shuttle charter procedures to prohibit TXST-branded buses from being used for non-university purposes.
Alva said she had hoped to use the trip on April 11 to advocate against House Bill 281, a bill proposing to evaluate degree programs based on graduates’ debt-to-income ratios, which she worried would affect her social work degree.
“We’re just very worried about what the future outcomes will be,” Alva said. “There will be more restrictions by next year’s SWAD with the way things are going, and so we really have no idea what the steps are.”
