Texas Legislature: Higher Ed Bill Tracker – AAUP/AFT Analysis of Texas SB 16, 17, and 18 to limit academic freedom, ban DEI, and eliminate tenure

Oppose Texas bills to limit academic freedom, ban DEI, eliminate tenure:

• Join the Texas AFT Defend Tenure, DEI & Academic Freedom campaign to ask your Reps to vote against these bills
• Invite faculty, students, alumni, parents, and community and business leaders to join the campaign via the Impactive App using code 851761
• Send comments to the Senate Higher Ed Subcommittee by clicking on each picture and selecting E-mail Your Senator or calling their office
• Testify at a committee hearing — see our Bill Tracker for the hearing schedule and the advocacy training page for resources and guidance

Texas AAUP Members testified against anti-tenure SB 18: Brian Evans (YouTube) as well as Andrea Gore (39:21), Pat Heintzelman (41:13), Derek Chiou (55:48), Karma Chavez (1:15:28) in part II of the hearing recording.

New Op-Ed: Andrea Gore, “UT scientist: Killing tenure would ruin the state’s research universities“, Houston Chronicle, March 24, 2023. You only need to provide your e-mail address to access the article if not a subscriber.

Academic Freedom and Tenure: Impact of eliminating tenure white paper and talking points; Texas AAUP Higher Ed Talking Points and Academic Freedom Basics; AAUP Academic Freedom – Tenure; Florida petition

Teaching About Race and Gender Identity: Impact of banning teaching about race and gender identity white paper and talking points – Proposed bill could ban critical race theory from Texas universities – AAUP Statement on Educational gag orders: Legislative interference in teaching about race

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): Impact of banning DEI programs white paper and talking points – Legislative Black Caucus press conf. opposing Gov. Abbott’s anti-DEI agenda – Gov. Abbott tells state agencies to stop considering diversity in hiring – House bill restricts speech

Texas AAUP Legislative Visits: Brainstorming with Texas Legislators at AFT Breakfast – Advocating with Texas AFT and with TACT

AAUP@UT: Advocating for Academic Freedom and Tenure Slides – Joining AAUP – Application for Chapter Status – Officers – By-Laws – Meetings in Spring 2023 – Fall 2022 – Spring 2022 – Fall 2021

UT Austin: Petition for faculty & staff solidarity with graduate student workers – Advocating with Texas A&M for Higher Ed – Faculty authority in curriculum matters – Academic freedom in UT System policies

Founded in 1915, AAUP has helped to shape American higher education by developing the standards and procedures that maintain education quality and academic freedom in this country’s colleges and universities. AAUP is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers.

All AAUP members affiliated with UT Austin are automatically members of AAUP@UT. If you are affiliated with UT Austin and would like to join the AAUP@UT mailing list, please email Brian Evans.