The presidents of two prominent Texas universities have provided testimony to state lawmakers regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and their broader curriculum processes.
Texas A&M President Mark Welsh, a retired general in the U.S. Air Force, and University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell met Monday with the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education to discuss the two contentious topics.
Welsh began his testimony by emphasizing the faculty’s advisory role to the Texas A&M Board of Trustees, focusing on the development of class curriculum.
“Curriculum development starts with our faculty, but it’s informed by continual input from enterprise experts; individual college and department external advisory boards; market surveys; national, state, and regional employment data; and any other source that we can find,” shared Welsh.
State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) probed Welsh on the recent news that Texas A&M voted to end 38 certificates and 14 minors, including the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies minor.
“One of the things that’s happened at A&M with our minors is that there were things that were created when there was a demand signal and when the market supported it, and then as that market waned or when the interest waned, we just kept them on the books,” Welsh stated.
“That’s not a bad thing, because the market may come back. There may be a renewed interest in a couple of years,” he added.
Welsh explained that Provost Alan Sams had ordered a review of 70 underperforming programs and subsequently recommended eliminating 52 of them.
Importantly, Welsh said that the review implemented by Sams was not a one-off action. Instead, it laid the groundwork for a recurring process of reassessing low-performing programs at the university in the future.
“We need to focus on the things that will make us great for the next 10 to 15 years and into the future, not the things that made us great 10 or 15 years ago,” stated Welsh.
Welsh defended instructors when asked by Creighton if Texas A&M faculty could be motivated more by political goals than by finding the best possible curricula fit for students.
“I think there’s a danger of any institution in America of having an institutional viewpoint that becomes consistent, whether it’s right or wrong, over time,” said Welsh. “I think that is a danger to universities. I think our job is to educate our students on all facts related to issues, regions, events, and opportunities.”
While facing questioning from State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas), Welsh also expressed his sympathy for the Faculty Senate’s feeling of being left out of Sams’ review process.
“I agreed with the speaker of the Faculty Senate and thought we should hit pause on the process and get them back into that discussion, establish the process with their cooperation, and then initiate it again in the spring,” said Welsh.
Hartzell began his testimony by summarizing his university’s approach to curriculum development as being essentially driven by “supply and demand,” originating from workforce needs or input by students, faculty, and trustees.
Yet, Hartzell explained that Provost Rachel Davis Mersey still has the ultimate authority over curriculum at his university.
“She makes decisions about academic programs following a multi-step curriculum development process,” stated Hartzell.
Ensuring that curricula align with college-wide and department goals and the availability of resources to sustain them is included in that process. In addition, the university has a committee tasked with assessing proposals.
UT Austin eliminated its DEI office and scholarship program for illegal aliens at the beginning of the year. Another university in the same system, UT Dallas, closed the doors on more than 20 DEI-related jobs in April.
While Hartzell did not directly address any of those developments, he responded to Creighton’s question on changes in the university’s curricula and programs by, again, appealing to supply and demand.
The hearing took place just several months before the upcoming legislative session and will likely help inform lawmakers on further action necessary to rein in controversial curricula offered at Texas schools.
Previous legislation signed during the last session, Senate Bill 17, prohibited public universities from establishing DEI offices, using DEI criteria in their hiring practices, or requiring employees or prospective employees to attend DEI training sessions.
No ads. No paywalls. No government grants. No corporate masters.
Just real news for real Texans.
Support Texas Scorecard to keep it that way!
