An effort to give politically connected appointees more control over state universities 性视界传媒 including over what性视界传媒檚 taught and how schools are following laws 性视界传媒 has advanced in the Texas Senate.
The Republican-priority bill would give governor-appointed regents more power to determine which courses are offered and regulate what性视界传媒檚 included in lessons, such as monitoring what students learn about history and race.
A new ombudsman性视界传媒檚 office, appointed by the governor, would investigate concerns at state schools, such as allegations that they are getting around the state性视界传媒檚 DEI ban.
The role of faculty senates would be significantly decreased under the bill.
Professors have called the bill an attack on faculty governance and academic freedom. They worry placing curriculum decisions in the hands of politically-connected governing boards would threaten their ability to teach controversial topics, as well as students性视界传媒 freedom to study certain subjects.
Introduced by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, Senate Bill 37 is one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick性视界传媒檚 top priorities. Patrick has long said he wants to roll back the 性视界传媒渨oke left性视界传媒 on college campuses.
性视界传媒淪trong oversight is essential to keeping Texas universities at the forefront of education and innovation,性视界传媒 Creighton said in a statement Tuesday. 性视界传媒淲ith taxpayer dollars and students性视界传媒 futures on the line, our institutions must be accountable.性视界传媒
On the Senate floor, Democrat lawmakers said they worried professors would avoid topics about race and equity under the increased oversight. Sen. Molly Cook, D-Houston, described the regents性视界传媒 power to eliminate courses as 性视界传媒渃ensorship.性视界传媒
In response, Creighton said his proposal does not target all courses, but regulates core curriculum courses to 性视界传媒渆nsure that students are well-rounded and equipped with skills necessary to be successful in the workforce.性视界传媒
性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 about degrees of value and how to get there faster and cheaper,性视界传媒 he added.
Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, raised concerns about the lack of safeguards in the bill against regents性视界传媒 decisions.
性视界传媒淲hat if the governing board decided a course of action based on a professor or a class distorting the historical record? What if the board is wrong? What if the class or the instructor did not distort the record? How does that get fixed?性视界传媒 Gutierrez said.
Creighton answered that 性视界传媒渢he governor would have to hold them accountable for that,性视界传媒 as well as the public and the media.
The state性视界传媒檚 university systems 性视界传媒 such as the University of Texas and Texas A&M 性视界传媒 have regents who are appointed by the governor. Community college boards, such as Dallas College, tend to have trustees elected by voters.
Such governing boards typically don性视界传媒檛 get involved in day-to-day operations. Under the bill, however, they could overturn any decision made by campus leaders. They would be required to send annual reports to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the Texas House and each state lawmaker on hiring, curriculum and other issues.
Professors, deans and provosts currently have wide latitude on course offerings and lessons. The proposal aims to give regents final say over what courses are included in a university性视界传媒檚 core curriculum and regulate how students learn about history and race.
Texas already bans diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, at public universities and colleges. That ban did not stretch into classroom teachings.
Still, Creighton has previously said that although DEI-related courses do not break the law, it 性视界传媒渋ndeed contradicts its spirit.性视界传媒
SB 37 aims to ensure college courses do not teach students that one race is superior to another, that individuals of one race bear responsibility for actions committed by individuals of another race, or that 性视界传媒渟ystemic racism, sexism, oppression, or privilege is inherent性视界传媒 in state and national institutions, according to the bill.
Courses could not teach 性视界传媒渋dentity politics性视界传媒 or 性视界传媒渞equire students to adopt an ideology.性视界传媒 Core curriculum classes would have to prepare students for the workforce and 性视界传媒渃ivic and professional life,性视界传媒 among other things.
Monitoring course offerings across the state would be an advisory committee 性视界传媒 whose members would be appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House 性视界传媒 responsible for 性视界传媒渃ondensing the number of core curriculum courses性视界传媒 students take by 2027.
Governing boards would also have the power to withhold state funds from or eliminate certain degree programs based on their return on investment and student debt levels. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 性视界传媒 whose members are governor-appointed 性视界传媒 would review data and make recommendations on maintaining or eliminating programs.
Such boards would also have final say over whether to cut minor degrees and certificate programs with low enrollment. Departments would have to show the president, who must review such programs every four years, 性视界传媒渋ndustry data to substantiate workforce demand性视界传媒 to avoid consideration for elimination.
The bill would also create an 性视界传媒渙ffice of the ombudsman性视界传媒 性视界传媒 under the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 性视界传媒 to investigate concerns that schools aren性视界传媒檛 complying with SB 37 and certain state laws, including those about immigration enforcement, protected free speech, and DEI on campuses.
Anyone who believes a school is breaking those laws could file a complaint. Findings could be turned over to the state性视界传媒檚 attorney general, who could sue the school or recommend the Legislature withhold state funds to ensure compliance.
Faculty senates or councils would be overhauled to limit their power and could be established only by governing boards under the proposal.
Such senates express the views of faculty members to university administrators and are a way for faculty to participate in academic governance. Typically, they develop curricula and approve academic policies.
Emarely Rosa-D谩vila, an associate professor of social work and speaker of the faculty senate at Texas Woman性视界传媒檚 University, said faculty senates help school leaders address concerns and policies on a campus.
性视界传媒淔aculty senates add value to the governance of any institution,性视界传媒 she said. That requires open communication and a transparent process, she added.
They can also initiate votes of no-confidence in university leadership. Only regents can remove a president, but the action allows faculty members to publicly express their concerns.
Under Creighton性视界传媒檚 bill, faculty senates would have advisory roles only.
性视界传媒淔or too long, unelected faculty senates have operated behind closed doors, steering curriculum decisions, influencing institutional policy, issuing political statements to divest from Israel, and even organizing votes of 性视界传媒榥o confidence性视界传媒 that undermine public trust,性视界传媒 Creighton said in a statement Tuesday.
He added that his proposal 性视界传媒渞eaffirms that authority belongs to the Board of Regents.性视界传媒
The head of faculty senates or councils would be appointed by the campus性视界传媒 president with consent of the governing board. They would be capped at 60 members, with at least two representatives from each college or school on campus 性视界传媒 one appointed by institution presidents and the others elected by peers.
A member may be removed by a school性视界传媒檚 vice provost and president for using their position for 性视界传媒減ersonal political advocacy,性视界传媒 among other reasons.
