Texas Public Universities Face Overhaul with Proposed Bill
A proposal to increase oversight of Texas’ public universities — including over who is hired and what is taught — veers into state overreach, House Democrats said at a committee hearing Tuesday. The Senate’s priority bill would overhaul state colleges by giving governor-appointed regents more power to determine which courses are offered and regulate what’s included in lessons, such as monitoring how students learn about race and sex.
College professors say academic freedom is at stake with this proposal, known as Senate Bill 37. They note that having a new state ombudsman’s office — which would investigate concerns at the schools, such as allegations that they are getting around the state’s DEI ban — would have a chilling effect.
Concerns Over Academic Freedom
“This appears to be a solution in search of a problem, of biting the hand that feeds us so to speak … I can’t even see the data that suggests that this is necessary,” Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, said. However, Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, who introduced the House version of the bill, told the committee that the bill aims to strengthen the state’s talent pipeline by eliminating courses that “may be outdated or misaligned with workforce needs and some degrees and certificate programs that lack workforce relevance and have low enrollment.”
Adopting the measure will bolster Texas’ future workforce by ensuring students get “higher-value degrees less expensively,” he added. Howard pushed back, calling the bill “extreme micromanagement.” She noted that university officials already consider industry needs when determining what courses to offer.
Impact on Curriculum and Hiring Decisions
Boards of regents oversee college systems, such as the University of Texas and Texas A&M systems. They typically don’t get involved in day-to-day operations. Professors worry placing curriculum decisions in the hands of the politically connected governing boards would threaten their ability to teach controversial topics, as well as students’ freedom to study certain subjects. The role of faculty senates would also be significantly decreased under the bill.
Some conservative students, however, see the proposal as a reprieve from courses that promote “ideological conformity” and those that have no relevance to their degrees or future careers. “In my experience, I’ve never been assigned a conservative, moderate or even classically liberal perspective. That’s not education. It’s indoctrination, and it’s troubling that taxpayer dollars are subsidizing propaganda that only considers one viewpoint to the exclusion of others,” Paola Martinez, a student at UT-El Paso, said late Tuesday night as a hearing on the bill resumed.
Student Concerns and Faculty Response
Introduced by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, SB 37 is one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s top priorities. Patrick has long said he wants to roll back the “woke left” on college campuses. “Strong oversight is essential to keeping Texas universities at the forefront of education and innovation,” Creighton said in a statement last month. “With taxpayer dollars and students’ futures on the line, our institutions must be accountable.”
The legislation passed the Texas Senate in a 20-11 vote in April. Under the bill, regents could overturn any decision made by campus leaders and would have final say over provost hirings. Rep. Vincent Perez, D-El Paso, said the bill lacks safeguards against regents “politicizing hiring decisions” and turning “important academic roles into partisanship appointments.”
Regents’ Power and Curriculum Oversight
The proposal also aims to give regents final say over what courses are included in a university’s core curriculum. Professors, deans and provosts currently have wide latitude on course offerings and lessons. SB 37 aims to ensure core courses do not “advocate or promote the idea that any race, sex, or ethnicity or any religious belief is inherently superior to any other,” according to the bill.
Core curriculum classes would have to prepare students for the workforce and “civic and professional life,” among other things. Perez worries that regents could eliminate courses, such as those about ethnic studies and gender studies, based on “subjective criteria” because the “bill doesn’t clearly define what exactly is outdated or irrelevant.”
Conclusion and Next Steps
The proposed bill has sparked intense debate among lawmakers, professors, and students. While some argue that it will strengthen the state’s talent pipeline, others see it as an overreach of state power and a threat to academic freedom. As the bill moves forward, it remains to be seen how it will impact the state’s public universities and the students they serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Senate Bill 37? A: Senate Bill 37 is a proposed bill that aims to overhaul state colleges by giving governor-appointed regents more power to determine which courses are offered and regulate what’s included in lessons.
Q: What are the concerns about the bill? A: Professors and lawmakers are concerned that the bill will threaten academic freedom, allow for politicized hiring decisions, and eliminate courses that are deemed “outdated” or “irrelevant” based on subjective criteria.
Q: How will the bill impact students? A: The bill may impact students by limiting their access to certain courses and programs, particularly in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Some students may also see the proposal as a reprieve from courses that promote “ideological conformity” and have no relevance to their degrees or future careers.
Q: What’s next for the bill? A: The bill has passed the Texas Senate and is currently being considered by the House. Lawmakers and stakeholders will continue to debate and refine the bill before it is voted on and potentially signed into law.
