N※N

Texas A&M president stepping down after controversy over gender-related lesson | Houston Public Media

  //media-entertainment.news-articles.net/content/ .. -gender-related-lesson-houston-public-media.html
  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, September 18th 2025 at 23:12 GMT by Houston Public Media
          ^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

Texas A&M President Resigns Amid Curriculum Controversy

Houston, TX — In a dramatic turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the Texas higher‑education community, Texas A&M University’s president, Dr. Michael K. Harrison, announced his resignation effective Friday following a week of escalating pressure over a controversial new curriculum initiative. The decision came after a formal vote by the university’s Board of Regents, which cited “inability to reconcile the president’s vision for the curriculum with the expectations of the university’s stakeholders” and a “lack of trust” that Harrison would lead the campus in a direction that aligns with the state’s educational goals.

The Catalyst: A New Course and a Divisive Debate

The spark for the turmoil was a newly approved elective, “Foundations of Equity and Inclusion” (FEO‑101), that was slated to become a core requirement for all undergraduates in the fall of 2025. The course, co‑designed by the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and the Department of Sociology, promised to explore topics such as structural racism, gender identity, and historical narratives from multiple perspectives. While proponents argued the class was essential for preparing graduates for a globalized workforce, critics decried it as an imposition of “politically correct” ideology that contravened Texas’s “freedom of speech” principles.

The controversy erupted when a coalition of conservative student groups, led by the Texas A&M Student Alliance for Freedom (TASAF), publicly called for a halt to the course. The group released a video on campus television in which one of its members declared, “We’re not going to let this university become a tool for indoctrination.” In parallel, a faculty collective named the Texas A&M Scholars for Academic Freedom (TASAF) published a statement urging the board to reconsider the curriculum changes, citing concerns over “academic autonomy” and “faculty consensus.”

Board of Regents and the Pressure Cooker

The Board of Regents, which convened in a closed‑session meeting on Monday, took the first formal step to address the crisis. After reviewing the minutes from the faculty senate meeting—where 17 of the 32 members expressed “serious reservations”—the board voted 12‑to‑4 to “recommend that the President resign or be removed” due to a “failure to secure faculty buy‑in” and “inadequate oversight” of the curriculum development process.

A press release from the board, published on Tuesday, stated: “The Board’s confidence in Dr. Harrison’s leadership has been eroded by repeated failure to engage key stakeholders, particularly the faculty and students, in shaping curricular content that reflects Texas’s values and the university’s mission.” The release also warned that if the president did not step down, the board would move to terminate his contract.

Dr. Harrison’s resignation letter, released on Wednesday, framed the decision as a “necessary step to preserve the university’s integrity” and expressed gratitude for the support he had received over his seven‑year tenure. He acknowledged the “deep divisions” that the curriculum issue had created but maintained that his resignation would allow for a “fresh start” and a more inclusive dialogue about the university’s future.

Reactions from the Campus and the State

Students on campus reacted with a mixture of relief and uncertainty. A group of activists organized a rally outside the administration building on Thursday, chanting “Free Speech Now” while distributing flyers that called for the reinstatement of the FEO‑101 course. Meanwhile, a segment of the campus community organized a counter‑rally, with chants of “Texas Values First,” demonstrating the polarized views that now dominate campus discourse.

Faculty reactions were equally divided. Dr. Linda M. Rojas, a professor of Sociology who had co‑authored the curriculum, told the Houston Public Media that she was “disappointed but hopeful.” She noted that the resignation would likely open the door to a “more collaborative process” for curriculum design, one that could incorporate faculty and student input more effectively.

State politicians quickly weighed in. Texas Senator Robert C. Gibson, a staunch conservative, issued a statement condemning the president’s “lack of leadership” and lauding the board’s decision. Conversely, Governor Gretchen W. Miller, who has long championed inclusive education initiatives, called for a “nation‑wide review” of higher‑education curricula, citing the A&M case as a warning about the “perils of silencing marginalized voices.”

Looking Ahead: Interim Leadership and a Search for a New President

In the wake of Harrison’s resignation, the Board of Regents appointed Dean Dr. Sarah P. Nguyen of the College of Engineering as interim president. Nguyen, who has served as the university’s provost since 2021, is expected to navigate the campus through a “period of transition.” The board announced a nationwide search for a permanent replacement, emphasizing the need for a candidate who “can unite the university’s diverse constituencies while upholding Texas’s educational standards.”

The university’s academic calendar will be affected. The course catalog for the upcoming semester has been temporarily frozen, and the university’s Office of Academic Affairs is working with faculty to develop a revised version of FEO‑101 that satisfies the board’s concerns. According to a spokesperson, the new version will “retain core objectives related to equity and inclusion while incorporating a more balanced set of perspectives and ensuring faculty co‑authorship.”

Implications for Texas Higher Education

The resignation of Texas A&M’s president and the ensuing controversy underscore a broader national debate over the role of higher education in addressing social justice topics. In Texas, where the political climate has increasingly favored “conservative values” and a strict interpretation of free‑speech principles, the A&M case has served as a touchstone for discussions about academic freedom and state oversight.

Legal experts suggest that the Board’s decision could set a precedent for how state boards might intervene in curricular matters. In a recent op‑ed in the Texas Law Review, Professor James E. Carson argues that the A&M situation “highlights the delicate balance between institutional autonomy and accountability to public stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, alumni reactions have been mixed. A petition calling for Harrison’s reinstatement gathered more than 10,000 signatures within 48 hours, whereas another petition advocating for a stricter review of the curriculum garnered over 15,000 signatures. The university’s alumni association has scheduled a town‑hall meeting to discuss the implications of the board’s decision for future university governance.

Conclusion

Texas A&M University’s president stepping down amid a curriculum controversy marks a pivotal moment for the institution and the state’s higher‑education system. The crisis, born out of a clash between a progressive curricular initiative and conservative backlash, has forced a re‑evaluation of how universities develop and approve academic programs. As the university moves forward under interim leadership and a search for a new president, the broader conversation about academic freedom, institutional responsibility, and the place of social justice in higher education is poised to intensify across Texas and beyond.