The Texas Legislature meets for 140 days from January to May in odd years. Between sessions, many of the Texas Senate and House Committees meet to discuss Interim Charges issued by the Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House, respectively, in preparation to draft bills for the upcoming session.

Next Legislative session begins on January 14, 2025. Bills can be filed starting November 11, 2024. Here are the Interim Charges:

• 2024 Texas Senate Interim Charges, April 11, 2024, and its sequel Additional Interim Legislative Charges, Sept. 10, 2024
• 2024 Texas House Interim Charges, May 2024

Texas AAUP-AFT is expecting that the next Legislative will have deeper attacks on academic freedom and its safeguards of tenure, due process, and shared governance than the last session:

• Bills have already been filed to empower (1) Boards of Regents to appoint all department chairs directly and (2) colleges and universities to choose any accrediting organization instead of requiring the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) for all. SACS evaluates shared governance and academic freedom for accreditation.
• Bills are expected to strip faculty oversight of curriculum and restrict what faculty senates can do
• Bills are expected to censor cultural, ethnic, and gender studies across a wide variety of disciplines including Liberal Arts, Social Work, Business, and Medicine.

Texas Senate Higher Education Subcommittee 2024 Interim Hearings

• Nov. 11, 2024. Agenda. Topics: (1) regulate faculty senates; (2) increase prohibitions and punishments for diversity, equity, and inclusion; (3) improve K-12 pathways
• Sept. 24, 2024. Agenda. Minutes. Topics: (1) public junior college State finance program, (2) AI in teaching and learning, and (3) core curriculum course availability.
• May 14, 2024. Agenda. Topics: (1) Monitor the ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies; (2) combating antisemitism on Texas college campuses; and (3) campus free speech.

Texas AAUP-AFT Responses

Free inquiry, free expression, intellectual exploration, and open dissent are critical for student learning and the advancement of knowledge. AAUP members will continue to advocate for academic freedom its safeguards of tenure, due process, and shared governance.

• Higher-Ed in Review: What Happened & What’s Next, Texas AAUP-AFT, Dec. 17, 2024. Slides.
• Higher Ed Teach-in and Advocacy Training for Nov. 11th Hearings, Texas AAUP-AFT, Nov. 7, 2024
• Please join AAUP to organize and mobilize for higher ed in Texas, Texas AAUP, May 26, 2024
• AAUP Members Testify at the May 14, 2024, Hearing by the Texas Senate Higher Ed Subcommittee
• Texas AAUP Response to Gov. Abbott’s Executive Order Relating to Antisemitism, Texas AAUP, April 13, 2024
  • Widening Antisemitism Definition May Lead to Narrowing Education, AAUP, November 2022.
  • Legislative Threats to Academic Freedom: Redefinitions of Antisemitism and Racism, AAUP, March 2022
• Republican Higher Education Legislative Priorities for the 89th Texas Legislature (1/14/25 to 6/2/25), Texas AAUP, April 11, 2024
• Mass Firings of UT Austin Staff, Faculty, and Administrators, UT Austin AAUP Chapter, April 2, 2024, due to external pressure to overcomply with SB 17.

Texas Legislative Session 2023

• Analysis: Manufacturing Backlash: Right-Wing Think Tanks and Legislative Attacks on Higher Education, 2021–2023, Isaac Kamola.
• Survey: Faculty in Red States concerned by political interference
• Call to Action: Update UT campus policies concerning tenure SB 18
• Bill Analysis: Tenure SB 18 – Anti-DEI SB 17 – Censorship SB 16
• SB 17: Guidance & Syllabi Language – Research Study – Analysis
• Legislative Advocacy: Summary – Bill Tracker – Resources