The finalist for president of Texas A&M Victoria has pervasive experience with left-wing causes such as “diversity,” “equity,” and “sustainability.”
Christian Hardigree was named the sole finalist for the presidency of Texas A&M-Victoria following a special called meeting of the Texas A&M System Board of Regents on September 18. There is a 21-day waiting period before the regents can finalize her appointment.
Hardigree is the regional chancellor of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus, where she has been quoted as wanting to sustain the momentum behind USFSP’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programming.
Regent Chairman Bob Albritton called Hardigree “exactly the kind of leader who can help Texas A&M-Victoria thrive.”
Texas Scorecard reviewed Hardigree’s official curriculum vitae and LinkedIn profile.
Hardigree’s CV contains three references to “equity,” eleven references to “diversity” and nineteen references to “sustainability.”
For example, it notes that while serving as the dean of the School of Hospitality at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Hardigree received the “Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award by INSIGHT Into Diversity for 7 years.”
Hardigree further adds that “MSU Denver serves the most diverse student population in the state with 48% BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color).”
Hardigree has pursued a variety of DEI initiatives over the years. She has also delivered public speeches in favor of diversity and worked to promote it as an independent consultant.
She has also worked as an attorney specializing in “employment discrimination.”
For her continuing legal education, Hardigree has pursued “subjects on free speech, diversity/equity/inclusion, licensing, intellectual property, anti-human trafficking, crisis management, and risk management.”
Hardigree has also written and spoken extensively about sustainability, primarily as it relates to the hospitality industry.
Hardigree’s Linkedin profile contains the same information, in less detail, as her CV.
The Texas A&M board’s decision to hire Hardigree for the Victoria campus comes at the same time that outgoing President Mark Welsh has ignited controversy at the College Station campus.
Like Hardigree, Welsh had a documented history of support for DEI prior to his hire.
The Texas A&M System did not respond to questions before publication about Hardigree’s vetting process or the role of the Welsh controversy in her hire.
Texas A&M-Victoria was previously part of the University of Houston system. It was transferred to the Texas A&M system on September 1.
Texas A&M-Victoria and Texas A&M-College Station are component institutions of the Texas A&M System. The Texas A&M System is overseen by a Board of Regents appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate.
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