Not the original poster but I have also heard this was being said at UT. Of course deans saying it doesn't mean departments individually don't have the funding so it might not be a concern. Accepting a place doesn't necessarily mean rejecting other offers in case more information comes at a later point. People get in off the waitlist to schools in June and then decline where they accepted. I don't know if you should still visit if you've committed but its not as definite as I think its frequently regarded
