UT Austin professor dismissed over ‘ideological differences’

“We must end indoctrination and return to education fundamentals at all levels of education,” Gov. Greg Abbott said.

AUSTIN, Texas — On Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott said a University of Texas at Austin professor who oversaw university-wide academic affairs was dismissed from his administrative post because of “ideological differences.”

Professor of psychology and marketing Art Markman said he was removed from his role as senior vice provost for academic affairs in September.

“The leadership at the University of Texas dismissed me from my academic administration role due to ideological differences,” Markman wrote on LinkedIn on Tuesday.

Markman, who had been at the university for 27 years, founded UT’s Human Dimensions of Organizations program and also cohosts the “2 Guys on Your Head” podcast on KUT.

UT’s website still lists Markman as a faculty member but no longer shows him as a member of the administrative staff, a role he had held since 2021. The university has named Juan Dominguez – a professor of psychology, pharmacology and neuroscience – as the interim senior vice provost for academic affairs.

“Texas is targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation,” Abbott wrote in a post on social media platform X on Sunday morning. “We must end indoctrination and return to education fundamentals at all levels of education.”

Neither Markman nor Abbott elaborated on the details of the “ideological differences” that led to the dismissal. KVUE has reached out to UT for more information.

It comes as UT this month signaled it could sign on to demands from the Trump administration in exchange for federal funding preferences. Some faculty leaders have expressed alarm at the “compact,” claiming it would stifle academic freedom and free speech.