Texas Tech University Chancellor Brandon Creighton previously served as a Republican state senator and authored major legislation that reshapes how Texas universities are governed.
Sara Diggins, Austin American-Statesman
A second major Texas university system is restricting how faculty teach — and students learn — about race and gender in campus lecture halls.
The Texas Tech University System banned courses that advocate for race or gender “prejudice” or mention more than two genders, according to a memo drafted by the system chancellor on Monday. The Lubbock-based university system also initiated a review of courses related to sexual orientation as part of its compliance with Senate Bill 37, a law that empowers political appointees to make day-to-day decisions at the state’s public higher education institutions.
Article continues below this ad
Chancellor Brandon Creighton — a former Republican state Senator, the author of SB 37 and a longtime critic of “liberal indoctrination” in higher education — issued the guidance as one of his first major acts in his new role.
Creighton’s memo follows Texas A&M University System’s recent decision to ban courses that advocate for race or gender “ideology” unless approved by the institution’s president or designee. The TAMU regents said they wanted to “lead the way” in reviewing courses amid distrust in higher education and the recent firing of TAMU Professor Melissa McCoul.
MORE: Texas A&M fires professor after gender identity remarks in class
Texas Tech regents went a step further, clarifying which courses may fall under the restriction, outlining a process of review and initiating a review of courses that concern sexual orientation, as well.
Article continues below this ad
No law in Texas restricts what universities can teach, and academic freedom experts warn political interference can hurt a university’s ability to educate students successfully. Early drafts of SB 37 outlawed core courses that “advocate or promote the idea that any race, sex, or ethnicity or any religious belief is inherently superior to any other,” but the language was removed before final passage.
The legislation that did pass gives regents explicit authority to review core courses, degrees and hiring while limiting faculty governance and their say in such decisions.
DETAILS: Texas Legislature OKs SB 37, limiting faculty authority, core courses
The course restrictions authorized by Texas Tech University System and Texas A&M University System apply to all courses, not just those students are required to take.
Article continues below this ad
DEEPER DIVE: UT’s independence tested as politics reshapes Texas higher ed — again
What does the memo say?
Under the new guidance, faculty at the Texas Tech System’s five institutions can’t promote activism on race or sex, teach that individuals are inherently racist because of their race or sex, that one race or sex is better than another or that merit-based hiring — favored by conservatives over diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices — is racist or sexist.
REWIND: Texas Legislature: House bill would ban DEI in university curriculum
Article continues below this ad
If the offending course material is not “relevant and necessary” for instruction, the content must be removed. If a faculty member believes the content is relevant, the department chair, dean and provost will review the course material with the ultimate decision laying with the board of regents. There is an exception for material required for professional licensure or patient care.
Creighton said the guidelines give faculty who are responsible for reviewing their courses under the new model “clarity, consistency, and guardrails that protect academic excellence.” He characterized the decision as the “first step” in an ongoing effort to review and oversee curriculum under SB 37.
“This curriculum review under Senate Bill 37 will, in part, ensure each university is offering degrees of value,” Creighton’s memo states.
Why now?
Allegations of advocacy infiltrating the classroom in Texas accelerated in September when a viral video of a children’s literature professor at TAMU circulated online. In the video, a student accused professor Melissa McCoul of breaking the law by teaching that there are more than two genders. The video piqued the attention of the governor, who called for McCoul’s termination.
Article continues below this ad
In response, the Texas A&M University System, Texas State University System and the University of Texas System announced course audits across their institutions for mentions of gender identity to ensure compliance with state law, federal guidance and “system priorities.”
MORE: UT System audits gender in courses as GOP targets ‘LGBTQ ideology’
Before Creighton took over as chancellor Nov. 19, Texas Tech University System said it would ban the teaching of more than two genders to comply with House Bill 229, a 2025 Texas law that narrowly defines sex as male or female — though all U.S. major medical organizations recognize the existence of transgender and nonbinary individuals.
RELATED: New Trump plan offers UT funding benefits with conditions on academics
Article continues below this ad
Creighton said SB 37 — legislation he authored — would strengthen higher education at the system’s five universities, which serve 65,000 students annually across the state. The bill gives governor-appointed regents “ultimate authority” to hold universities accountable to the state and to educational excellence, Creighton said.
The memo said the system relies on faculty’s willing participation, and that those who don’t comply could face punishment.
“The Board’s responsibility is to safeguard the integrity of our academic mission and maintain the trust of Texans,” Texas State University System Chairman Cody Campbell said in a news release. “This new framework strengthens accountability, supports our faculty, and ensures that our universities remain focused on education, research, and innovation — core commitments that position the TTU System for continued national leadership.”
Article continues below this ad