Texas A&M University President Resigns Amid Controversy
Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III stepped down Friday after a viral classroom video of a student confronting a teacher over gender identity teachings sparked outrage from state leaders.
“President Welsh is a man of honor who has led Texas A&M with selfless dedication,” Chancellor Glenn Hegar said in a release Thursday. “We are grateful for his service and contributions. At the same time, we agree that now is the right moment to make a change and to position Texas A&M for continued excellence in the years ahead.”
Background of the Controversy
The Board of Regents will appoint an interim president and initiate a national search for a permanent president in the coming days.
In a statement Friday, Welsh said that when he was named president, he aimed to “serve as well as I possibly could until it was time for someone else to take over. Over the past few days, it’s become clear that now is that time.”
The Incident that Sparked the Controversy
Criticism of Welsh from Republican lawmakers rose after a “whistleblower” video spread online Sept. 8. The video shows a student confronting Melissa McCoul, a senior lecturer in the English department with over a decade of teaching experience, over gender content in her course.
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In one video, a female student and McCoul can be heard arguing over gender identity being taught in a children’s literature class. The student and lecturer are not shown, and it’s unclear when the video was taken.
“This also very much goes against not only myself but a lot of people’s religious beliefs. And so I am not going to participate in this because it’s not legal and I don’t want to promote something that is against our president’s laws as well as against my religious beliefs,” the student could be heard saying in the video.
“If you are uncomfortable in this class, you do have the right to leave. What we are doing is not illegal,” the lecturer said.
Reaction from State Leaders
State leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, called on Welsh, who was heard initially supporting McCoul in an audio recording, to fire her. Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, who first shared the video on social media, called for the professor and Welsh to be fired for “DEI and LGBTQ indoctrination.”
Welsh fired McCoul a day after the video was posted online. He ordered the removal of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English Department. Hegar also ordered an audit of courses at all 12 schools in the system.
Aftermath and Resignation
Thursday’s announcement came after Republican leaders called for the system’s regents to fire Welsh over his handling of the situation. Among those calling for his resignation was Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who said his “ambivalence on the issue and his dismissal of the student’s concerns by immediately taking the side of the professor is unacceptable.”
“WE DID IT!” Harrison posted on X after news of Welsh’s departure broke. “TEXAS A&M PRESIDENT IS OUT!!”
On Friday, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, criticized Welsh for not having “the same ‘story’ at the beginning of the problem as at the end.”
“‘Consistency’ should be the hallmark of campus leadership, not its bane,” he said in a release.
Support for Welsh and His Background
In the days leading up to the announcement, students and professors sent letters of support for Welsh to Hegar and A&M’s Board of Regents.
Welsh, a former chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, became president of the university in 2023. He previously served as dean of Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service.
In 2023, Welsh’s predecessor, M. Katherine Banks, resigned after Texas A&M’s failed attempt to hire Kathleen McElroy, a University of Texas at Austin journalism professor, to revive Texas A&M’s journalism program.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Conclusion
The resignation of Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III has sparked a lot of debate and discussion about the role of universities in teaching sensitive topics like gender identity. While some people believe that universities should be free to teach whatever they want, others believe that they should be more careful about the topics they cover and how they cover them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III resign?
A: Welsh resigned after a viral classroom video of a student confronting a teacher over gender identity teachings sparked outrage from state leaders.
Q: What was the video about?
A: The video showed a student confronting a lecturer, Melissa McCoul, over gender content in her course. The student argued that the material went against her religious beliefs and the lecturer told her she had the right to leave the class.
Q: How did state leaders react to the video?
A: State leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, called on Welsh to fire McCoul. Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, called for the professor and Welsh to be fired for “DEI and LGBTQ indoctrination.”
Q: What happened to McCoul and the university administrators?
A: Welsh fired McCoul a day after the video was posted online. He also ordered the removal of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English Department. Chancellor Glenn Hegar ordered an audit of courses at all 12 schools in the system.
Q: What is next for Texas A&M University?
A: The Board of Regents will appoint an interim president and initiate a national search for a permanent president in the coming days.
