Texas Governor Greg Abbott has publicly announced his administration’s efforts to curb what he terms the “promotion of leftist ideologies” within the state’s higher education system. In a social media statement, Abbott asserted that Texas is “targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation.” This directive was first highlighted by Higher Ed Dive.
Abbott’s remarks come on the heels of the University of Texas at Austin’s controversial decision to remove psychology professor Art Markman from his senior administrative role as vice provost for academic affairs. Professor Markman later shared on LinkedIn that his dismissal stemmed from “ideological differences,” without elaborating further.
New State Laws Reshape Higher Education Governance and Free Speech
The landscape of public college governance in Texas has been dramatically altered by two recently enacted state laws. Effective September 1, these legislative changes have curtailed the authority of faculty in academic decision-making, reassigning significant control to politically appointed officials. A notable addition is the establishment of a higher education ombudsman role, as reported by Higher Ed Dive.
Following these changes, the Texas Legislature established specialized committees in both its House and Senate chambers. These committees are tasked with investigating “bias, discourse, and freedom of speech” within public educational institutions. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick controversially connected these inquiries to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, asserting that Kirk was “assassinated for simply expressing his First Amendment rights,” according to Higher Ed Dive.
Legal Challenges to Campus Free Speech Restrictions
Another law, enacted by Governor Abbott, has drawn legal challenges from student organizations across the University of Texas system. This legislation imposes a curfew on protected speech and expressive conduct on campuses, prohibiting it between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), representing the student plaintiffs, has denounced the law as “blatantly unconstitutional,” Higher Ed Dive reported.
In response, a federal judge has issued a temporary injunction, preventing the University of Texas System from enforcing this contentious law as the lawsuit moves forward.
UT-Austin Curriculum Task Force Sparks Faculty Concern
Faculty members at UT-Austin are expressing significant apprehension regarding a newly established “Core Curriculum Task Force,” charged with overhauling the university’s general education curriculum. All 18 appointees to this panel were selected by university leadership, bypassing traditional faculty involvement. Concerns have been voiced that this task force may lead to the elimination of entire academic departments, particularly those dedicated to ethnic and regional studies, none of which have representation on the committee. This information was reported by The Guardian, as cited by Higher Ed Dive.
Faculty Firings Persist Amidst Heightened Political Scrutiny
Professor Art Markman is not an isolated case; several Texas professors have faced removal from their posts recently. At Texas A&M University, a children’s literature professor was fired after a state lawmaker publicized a video of the professor discussing gender identity. Both the department head and dean implicated in the matter were also dismissed, leading to Texas A&M President Mark Welsh’s resignation the subsequent week, as reported by Higher Ed Dive.
Similarly, at Texas State University, history professor Tom Alter was terminated after participating in an online socialist forum where he reportedly discussed class organization and made hypothetical references to overthrowing the U.S. government. Texas State President Kelly Damphousse characterized Alter’s actions as “serious professional and personal misconduct,” including incitement of violence, according to Higher Ed Dive.
Despite a judge’s order for his reinstatement and due process, Texas State later reaffirmed Alter’s dismissal after a subsequent review. Professor Alter has publicly stated his intention to pursue further legal action against the university.