Chancellors from the Texas A&M and Texas Tech university systems outlined the next steps for higher education reform in the Lone Star State on Thursday at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s policy summit.
Texas Tech System Chancellor Brandon Creighton, who previously served as chairman of the Texas Senate’s Education Committee, opened by noting the irony of having to implement laws he helped write as a legislator. He was referring to Senate Bill 17 from 2023, which banned DEI in university human resource policies, and Senate Bill 37 from 2025, a measure that overhauled several aspects of university governance.
Creighton designated SB 37 as “the 2.0” of SB 17, with SB 17 dealing with hiring and SB 37 focusing on curriculum.
TAMU System Chancellor Glenn Hegar analogized his position to “drinking from 100” fire hoses due to its varied responsibilities.
They discussed the necessary removal of low-performing programs and focused on students’ return on investment regarding tuition.
Creighton observed that SB 37 clarified the lines between faculty and administrative responsibility, which had previously become blurred. A component of SB 37 was to affirm in statute that faculty participation is advisory only, with Creighton noting that the scope of “shared governance” had grown since the 1950s.
Creighton also discussed “an exhaustive review” that the Texas Tech System is undertaking of all its course offerings. He stated that the findings would be released shortly and the review “could be a national model when we’re finished.”
In terms of technology, Hegar confirmed that AI is intended as a supplement, not a replacement for instruction.
TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar, the discussion moderator, expressed concern about shifting from professors telling students what to think to ChatGPT doing the same.
Hegar concluded by sharing a key lesson from COVID, which taught them “you can’t take students out of classrooms.”
Both chancellors are former state lawmakers. Hegar also served as comptroller of public accounts before he took the position at A&M.
