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Cars travel on Cooper Street through the heart of the UTA’s where enrollment is up 28 percent over 5 years ago.<\/p>\n
FortWorth<\/p>\n
The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted Thursday during its quarterly meeting to enact a policy that will limit when and how \u201ccontroversial topics\u201d can be discussed by professors in the classroom.<\/p>\n
The University of Texas System, which includes DFW campuses UT Arlington and UT Dallas, passed the guidance just months after the Texas A&M University Board of Regents passed a similar one in December. Professors at UT System schools will now be required to have their syllabuses reviewed by university leadership for what is deemed a \u201ccontroversial topic\u201d before being cleared to teach it.<\/p>\n
Unlike Texas A&M, the UT System did not clearly define what classifies as a \u201ccontroversial topic.\u201d A&M leaders have specifically targeted courses with content related to race, gender and LGBTQ topics. The UT System is holding an audit over classes that include topics related to gender identity for compliance with law and \u201cboard priorities\u201d but the guidance does not include race or gender topics specifically.<\/p>\n
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According to the UT Board of Regents meeting agenda, university leaders believe the guidance will \u201cfoster classroom cultures of trust in which all students feel free to voice their questions and beliefs, especially when those perspectives might conflict with those of the instructor or other students.\u201d<\/p>\n
The guidance also prohibits professors from including course material that is not considered \u201crelevant\u201d to the course or learning environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the classroom, instructors must be careful stewards of their pedagogical responsibilities and classroom authorities and must endeavor to create a classroom culture of trust,\u201d the guidance reads. \u201cInstructors must not attempt to coerce, indoctrinate, harass, or belittle students, especially in addressing controversial subjects and areas here people of good faith can hold differing convictions.\u201d<\/p>\n
UT system professors are now prohibited from teaching any undisclosed material that is not clearly related and grounded in the topic of that course. If a course does include an approved \u201ccontroversial\u201d topic like race, gender or LGBTQ areas of focus, professors must maintain a balanced approach and discussion. University leadership and department heads will be responsible for determining what is considered relevant.<\/p>\n
Professors who oppose the policy say the lack of explanation of what is considered a \u201ccontroversial topic\u201d is a cause for major concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs written, this policy will backfire,\u201d said Peter Onyisi, a professor of physics at UT Austin, during public testimony. \u201cAre we going to be expected to teach the controversy regarding fundamental principles of science? Which office will decide the range of opinions that can be held in good faith?\u201d<\/p>\n
A policy passed by Texas A&M\u2019s Board of Regents similar to the one passed by UT has caused friction between professors and university leadership over how course content is reviewed and what is considered \u201ccontroversial.\u201d Several A&M syllabuses have been rejected for including content related to race and gender theory. One professor\u2019s course plan was rejected for including readings from Plato. An A&M spokesperson later told the Star-Telegram that dozens of other classes still use Plato\u2019s work as assigned readings.<\/p>\n
A&M professor Leonard Bright also had his class canceled just days before the spring semester for failing to submit his syllabus for review in the proper fashion. Bright pushed back, saying he did everything right and did not withhold information about his course content. Bright also wrote in an X post that his colleagues and students found out about the university\u2019s decision to cancel his class before he did.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe message was clear: Be afraid no one can save you from being censored at Texas A&M\u201d Bright wrote on X.<\/p>\n
Bright is also the president of A&M\u2019s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a group that protects faculty\u2019s academic freedom. Bright has loudly shared his concerns about A&M\u2019s course review process since it was passed, including a statement after another A&M professor was told to remove his class readings last month.<\/p>\n
The American Association of University Professors wrote in a news release Thursday after the University of Texas Board passed the guidance that they strongly disagree with the decisions. Members of AAUP shared testimony beforehand explaining it would restrict professors ability to answer student questions and freely hold innovative classroom discussion.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the newly adopted policy, the unelected Board of Regents will decide what topics students should be taught, how topics should be taught, and what topics to exclude, instead of relying on instructors who know the field and trusting students to explore topics,\u201d an AAUP spokesperson wrote in a statement.<\/p>\n
Last week, the University of Texas at Austin announced it was consolidating its race, ethnic and gender study programs into one department. The African American Studies, Women\u2019s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Mexican American and Latino Studies programs are now part of one larger, more broad department. That decision was meant with harsh feedback from current students and professors.<\/p>\n
Texas A&M last month also announced it was shutting down its women\u2019s and gender studies department after current students finish their degrees.<\/p>\n
Universities across the country have cracked down on programs, majors and courses that include content related to race, gender, and LGTBQ related topics since President Donald Trump has taken office and threatened to withhold federal funds to institutions that teach DEI topics. The Trump administration has already withheld funding to Harvard, Columbia, Northwester, Duke, Cornell, Princeton, Penn and UCLA.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe policy restricts the freedom of instructors to respond to student questions on past and current events, bring new breakthroughs and innovations into the course, and challenge the students to think about what could happen in the future,\u201d AAUP wrote in a statement. \u201cIn order for students to have the freedom to learn, instructors need the freedom to teach.\u201d<\/p>\n