Updated July 14, 2023.

July 14, 2023

Jack Stripling, “A big hire imploded at Texas A&M. Conservatives are cheering“, Washington Post, July 14 , 2023.

July 10, 2023

Keith Whittington, “A Recent Appeals-Court Ruling Imperils Academic Freedom“, The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 10, 2023.

July 3, 2023

Ireland Blouin, “UT professors express concern over tenure legislation, Hartzell’s response“, The Daily Texan, July 3, 2023.

June 9, 2023

Ismael M. Belkoura, “Universities’ faculties at odds with Texas Legislature on new tenure law“, North Texas Daily, June 9, 2023, and updated April 14, 2024.

May 30, 2023

Scott Jaschik, “Tenure Survives in Texas; DEI Offices Do Not“, Inside Higher Education, May 30, 2023.

Valeria Olivares and Marcela Rodrigues, “Texas Legislature eliminates DEI programs, fails to dismantle tenure in higher education”, Dallas Morning News, May 30, 2023.

May 29, 2023

Audra D. S. Burch, “Texas Lawmakers Pass Ban on D.E.I. Programs at State Universities“, New York Times, May 29, 2023. Texas AAUP Press releases quoted.

May 28, 2023

Kate McGee, “Texas lawmakers find consensus on bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices in public universities“, Texas Tribune, May 28, 2023.

Megan Menchaca, “Tenure at public universities will remain in Texas with slight changes“, Austin American-Statesman, May 28, 2023.

May 27, 2023

Kate McGee, “An effort to ban faculty tenure in public universities has failed in the Texas Legislature“, Texas Tribune, May 27, 2023.

Megan Menchaca, “Texas Legislature passes budget defunding DEI programs in universities“, Austin American-Statesman, May 27, 2023.

Megan Menchaca, “Texas lawmakers OK ban on DEI offices in public universities; bill heads to governor“, Austin American-Statesman, May 27, 2023.

May 24, 2023

Kate McGee, “Texas poised to fund community colleges based on student outcomes“, Texas Tribune, May 24, 2023.

Megan Menchaca, “Texas House approves bill modifying university faculty tenure policies“, Austin American-Statesman, May 24, 2023.

May 23, 2023

Kate McGee, “UT-Austin tried to hire a game theorist for its new free-enterprise think tank. He turned down the job because of fights over tenure.“, Texas Tribune, May 23, 2023.

Kate McGee, “Future of university tenure in Texas likely will be decided in last-minute negotiations, Texas Tribune, May 23, 2023.

Kate McGee, “A ban on Texas public universities’ diversity offices inches closer to becoming law“, Texas Tribune, May 23, 2023.

May 22, 2023

Megan Menchaca, “Texas House approves bill banning DEI offices at public colleges, universities“, Austin American-Statesman, May 22, 2023.

Megan Menchaca, “Texas House delays considering changes to tenure after Democrats raise challenge“, Austin American-Statesman, May 22, 2023.

May 21, 2023

Megan Menchaca, “Texas Senate approves bill to invest $430M in additional funding for community colleges“, Austin American-Statesman, May 21, 2023.

May 19, 2023

Op-Ed: Anne Chow, “DEI is an advantage, not an albatross“, The Dallas Morning News, May 19, 2023

May 18, 2023

Kate McGee, “With clock ticking on legislative session, Texas Democrats delay debate on university tenure bill“, Texas Tribune, May 18, 2023.

Op-Ed: Christopher Hepburn, “Going Once, Going Twice, Sold to the Highest Bidder!“, May 18, 2023.

May 10, 2023

Kate McGee, “House signals readiness to fight Senate over bills to ban tenure, diversity efforts at Texas universities“, Texas Tribune, May 10, 2023.

Megan Menchaca, “Texas House panel wants to keep tenure in colleges, bucking Senate proposal. Here’s why“, Austin American-Statesman, May 10, 2023.

May 9, 2023

Becky Vogel, “Texas House panel walks back senators’ effort to ban tenure at public universities“, KUT, May 9, 2023.

May 5, 2023

Kate McGee, “Texas House may revise anti-diversity legislation to allow some programs to maintain grants, federal funding“, Texas Tribune, May 5, 2023.

May 3, 2023

Marcela Rodrigues, “Texas scientists fear DEI bill could cost research dollars“, Dallas Morning News, May 3, 2023.

April 28, 2023

Op-Ed: T. Scott Johnson, “Opinion: Texas SB 16 Set to Undermine Academic Integrity“, Caller Times, USA Today Network, April 28, 2023.

April 26, 2023

Christopher Rim, “Republican Legislators In Texas And Florida Take On Public Universities“, Forbes, April 26, 2023.

April 20, 2023

Op-Ed: Jen Ebbeler, “What Ending Tenure Would Mean to Texas“, Inside Higher Ed, April 20, 2023 Jen Ebbeler is an officer in the UT Austin AAUP Chapter.

April 19, 2023

Kate McGee, “Texas Senate approves bill that would ban diversity programs in public universities“, Texas Tribune, April 19, 2023.

April 18, 2023

Op-Ed: Dan Braaten, Op-Ed: Texas GOP’s Assault On Higher Education Is Straight Out Of The Authoritarian Playbook, Texas Signal, April 18, 2023

April 17, 2023

The Texas Standard Radio Show, “State Senate weighs a bill that would end professor tenure as we know it in Texas”, April 17, 2023.

April 16, 2023

Op-Ed: Karma Chavez, “Opinion: Equity, inclusion, and access don’t divide us. They bring us together“, Austin American-Statesman, April 16, 2023. Karma Chavez is an officer in the UT Austin AAUP Chapter.

April 14, 2023

Ryan Quinn, “A Texas Trilogy of Anti-DEI, Tenure Bills“, Inside Higher Ed, April 14, 2023.

April 13, 2023

Jeremy Wallace, “Killing diversity hiring programs in Texas colleges could hurt push for more engineers“, Houston Chronicle, April 13, 2023.

Alia Wong, “Tenure was already in decline. Now some Republicans want it gone from colleges for good“, USA Today, April 13, 2023.

April 11, 2023
Kate McGee, “Texas Senate approves bill barring professors from “compelling” students to adopt certain political beliefs”, Texas Tribune, April 11, 2023. Quotes AAUP member Karma Chávez.

Kate McGee, “How Republicans’ threats to tenure and diversity might undercut their own efforts to advance Texas’ universities”, Texas Tribune, April 11, 2023. Quotes AAUP members Karma Chávez, Brian Evans, and Andrea Gore.

Megan Menchaca, “Texas House OKs ban on use of state money for ‘unconstitutional’ DEI programs in colleges,” Austin American-Statesman, April 11, 2023.

April 1, 2023

Op-Ed: Christine Julien, “DEI: What it is and why it matters in engineering“, Dallas Morning News, April 1, 2023.

March 30, 2023

Megan Menchaca, “Texas professors have ‘grave concerns’ over proposed tenure ban at public universities“, Austin American-Statesman, March 30, 2023.

Op-Ed: V. Jo Shu, “Republicans’ Hostile Takeover of Higher Education“, The Progressive Magazine, March 30, 2023.

March 24, 2023
Op-Ed: Andrea Gore, “UT scientist: Killing tenure would ruin the state’s research universities“, Houston Chronicle, March 24, 2023.  Jen is an officer in the UT Austin AAUP Chapter.

March 15, 2023
Kate McGee, “Bill would make UT-Austin center formerly known as Liberty Institute into its own college”, Texas Tribune, March 15, 2023

March 10, 2023
Kate McGee, “Texas Senate’s priority bills on higher ed would end tenure, diversity policies”,  Texas Tribune, March 10, 2023

March 5, 2023
Olivia Malick, “What the fight against tenure actually means for area instructors“, Beaumont Enterprise, March 5, 2023.  Quoted Texas AAUP members.

March 4, 2023
Patrick Svitek, “Ron DeSantis proclaims Texas, Florida partners against “woke” left in Houston speech“, Texas Tribune, March 4, 2023

March 3, 2023
Kate McGee, “Texas A&M University System bans diversity statements from job applications”, Texas Tribune, March 3, 2023.

March 2, 2023
Kate McGee, “Texas A&M University System bans diversity statements from job applications“, Texas Tribune.

Samantha Grayson, “Under threat: Academic freedom gives college students the power to fully understand the world around them. Lawmakers are trying to take that away.”, The Daily Texan.  Quotes from Texas AAUP members.

Feb. 22, 2023
Kate McGee, “University of Texas System pauses new diversity, equity and inclusion policies”, Texas Tribune, Feb. 22, 2023

Feb. 8, 2023
Kate McGee, “Texas Tech reviews its hiring practices as efforts to promote diversity come under fire”, Texas Tribune, Feb. 8, 2023.

Jan. 17, 2023
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s Inauguration Speech.  Contains comments about tenure and academic freedom.

Nov. 30, 2022
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Press Conference, Budget Concerns and Policy Priorities for the Upcoming Legislative Session. Contains comments about tenure and academic freedom.

Sept. 23, 2022
“House Speaker Dade Phelan opposes Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s call to ban tenure at Texas universities“, Houston Chronicle, Sept. 23, 2022.

Sept. 20, 2022
President Jay Hartzell, State of the University Address.  Contains comments about academic freedom and tenure.

May 25, 2022
Josh Moody, “Texas A&M Librarians Lose Tenure in Reorganization Plan”, Inside Higher Ed.

Apr. 4, 2022
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick 2022 Interim Legislative Charges. Charges for State Senate Higher Education Committee include Faculty Tenure and Teaching US History

Mar. 29, 2022
Andrew Schneider, “Dan Patrick’s plan to end tenure at Texas universities could have dire consequences, experts warn”, Texas Standard.  Contains quotes from Pat Heinzelman (TFA President and AAUP Member)

Mar. 16, 2022
Op-Ed: Circe Strum and Anthony Di Fore, UT Austin, “Why Is Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick So Afraid Of US History?”, Visible Magazine.

Mar. 11, 2002
Op-Ed: Annika Olson, “Opinion: UT sets a dangerous precedent by supporting the Liberty Institute”, Austin American Statesman.

Mar. 10, 2022
Kirk McDaniel, Academic freedom and the fight over tenure at Texas universities, Courthouse News Service.  Coverage of AAUP panel on Academic Freedom at SxSW EDU.

​​Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan Issues Interim Charges, Forms Interim Committees.   Nothing mentioned about higher education.

Mar. 3, 2022
“Lunch with Legislators”.  Sen. Royce West (D): “We should allow teachers to have academic freedom. As a legislature, we need to continue to look across this country to figure out.”

Feb. 28, 2022

Op-Ed: Steve Vladeck, “Texas’ attack on tenure may be short-lived. It’s still ominous.”, MSNBC.

Feb. 23, 2022
Austin American-Statesman, Megan Menchaca, “Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stops short of backing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s idea to end tenure”.

Texas Observer, Jordan Vonderhaar, “Dan Patrick’s ban on tenure could devastate Texas’ university system.” 

San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle, Cayla Harris and Samantha Ketterer, “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is in for a fight as he seeks to end tenure at Texas universities”.  Article quotes AAUP Members Scott Gage and Jeff Blodgett (Texas AAUP Conference President).

Feb. 21, 2022
The Texas Tribune, Kate McGee, “UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell defends faculty tenure after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes to end it at all public universities”

Houston Public Media, Julian Aguilar, “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to revoke tenure for professors who teach critical race theory” quotes Pat Heinzelman (TFA President and AAUP Member)

Feb. 19, 2022
Irene Mulvaney, “AAUP President Slams Threat to Destroy Academic Tenure in Texas”

Feb. 18th
Press Conference held by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Video recording,
Proposed for the upcoming Legislative session:

• “end all tenure for all new hires”
• “the law will change to teaching critical race theory is prima facie evidence of good cause for tenure revocation”
• “tenure to be reviewed annually” instead of every six years

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, “Statement on Plans for Higher Education”, Feb. 18, 2022, as a follow-up to his press conference.

Austin American Statesman “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pledges to end tenure for new hires at Texas public universities”

The Chronicle of Higher Education, “‘A Naked Attack’: Texas Lieutenant Governor Pledges to End Tenure for All New Hires”  ** important **

The Daily Texan, “Lt. Governor Dan Patrick plans to eliminate tenure at UT-Austin, public Texas universities”

The Texas Tribune, “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes ending university tenure to combat critical race theory teachings”

El Paso Matters, “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick commits to ending tenure; El Paso faculty call it a political attack”

San Antonio Express News, “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for end to tenure at public universities, citing ‘critical race theory’”

Dallas Morning News, “Dan Patrick wants to fight critical race theory by ending tenure at Texas’ colleges, universities”

Houston Chronicle, “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for end to tenure at public universities, citing ‘critical race theory‘”

Inside Higher Ed, Colleen Flaherty, “Texas Lt. Governor slams ‘Looney Marxist’ Professors, CRT” The Grio (Medill News Service), Grace Deng,  “Educators decry Texas official’s pledge to ban CRT in public universities as attack on academic freedom and equity.”

Feb. 17, 2022
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Megan Zahneis, “Why One Institution Is Bringing Back Tenure”.  Case study of what happened after Chatham University removed tenure in 2005 and why they are restoring it in 2022.

Feb. 16, 2022
Governor Abbot, “Governor Abbott Congratulates Texas Universities On Earning Prestigious National Research Rankings”, Press Release, Feb. 16, 2022. Texas now has more public Tier 1 as well as Tier 2 universities than any other state.

• Tier 2 requires $5M/year in research expenditures and at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees (or 30 professional practice doctoral degrees in at least 2 programs).
• Tier 1 requires exceeding the Tier 2 requirements by having significant research expenditures in science, engineering, and other fields as well as conferral of doctoral degrees in humanities, social science, STEM, and other fields (e.g., business, education, public policy, social work). 

For more information, please see Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty in the United States, Texas A&M & UT Austin, Apr. 3, 2023