A trade association for left-wing faculty voiced objections to a recent restructuring of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of North Texas, according to documents obtained from an open records request.
The restructuring, announced in March, was intended to close a $45 million budget deficit. As part of this restructuring, UNT closed several academic programs with low enrollment.
This low-enrollment cohort included a handful of left-wing grievance studies programs, including a major in Latino and Latin American Studies and minors in American Studies, Africana Studies, Mexican American Studies, Peace Studies, Asian Studies, LGBTQ Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies.
On April 3, the UNT chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) sent a letter to UNT campus president Harrison Keller.
“We are alarmed by the sudden multiple announcements…about changes to academic programs, including President Keller’s March 19 announcement describing significant changes to 85 academic programs and Dean Bimper’s March 20 email to CLASS faculty announcing major restructuring,” the letter reads.
“We note that 12 of the closures, or 17%, are focused on identity-based programs: one major (LLAS), one master’s (WGST), six minors and four certificates (including LMAS, Africana and LGBTQ Studies),” it continued.
The AAUP UNT chapter made a series of “demands” including an “immediate moratorium on closures and reorganization of academic programs,” “a clearly articulated framework for shared governance with faculty input in every unit,” and “clear criteria and timelines for faculty placement within new schools.”
Notably, state lawmakers abolished shared governance under Senate Bill 37, which passed in 2025.
UNT officials do not appear to have responded to the letter.
On April 22, AAUP sent a follow-up letter to Keller where they state, “more than 15 days have passed and we have received no response from you as we requested.”
The documents provide additional information on the background of Dr. Albert Bimper, who was dean of the college at this time.
Bimper was subsequently promoted to interim provost, which has drawn criticism due to his prior emphasis on left-wing scholarship.
The University of North Texas is a component of the UNT System. The UNT System is overseen by a Board of Regents that is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate. Carlos Munguia of Fort Worth is the current board chair.
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