The University of Texas at Austin removed its statue of Cesar Chavez on Thursday afternoon without prior announcement.

Campus operations officials began taking down the bronze sculpture from the West Lawn area, according to reports from local media. The action follows a New York Times investigation published in March that detailed allegations of sexual misconduct by Chavez, the founder of the United Farm Workers union, who died in 1993.

As of late March, university officials had declined to comment on the statue's future despite growing calls for its removal or replacement from some local figures. The statue, created by artist Pablo Eduardo and installed in 2007, had stood on campus for nearly two decades.

The removal aligns with actions at other institutions. Statues of Chavez have been taken down or covered at locations including California State University, Fresno, and in Milwaukee, where one was replaced with a different monument representing the local Latino community.

Chavez's legacy has faced renewed scrutiny nationwide since the March reports, affecting named streets, schools, and other honors in multiple states. University officials have not issued a detailed statement on the decision or any plans for the site.

The move occurred amid broader discussions about public monuments and historical figures whose personal conduct has come under examination.