A bill that awaits Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature would give his appointees unprecedented oversight of the state’s public universities, including the power to reject any course they consider ideologically biased or that doesn’t align with workforce demands.
Senate Bill 37, which advanced to the governor’s desk on June 2, would establish a state-level committee tasked with recommending which courses should be required for graduation. It would also significantly empower each public university system’s board of regents, whose members are appointed by the governor.
Additionally, the legislation would create a new state office to monitor compliance. This office, headed by a gubernatorial appointee, would recommend limiting state funding for universities found to have violated the law until a state auditor certifies they have returned to compliance.
The final version of the bill clarifies that universities, under their boards’ direction, maintain “final decision-making authority” over their curricula and degree programs. It also removes language from an earlier draft that would have required governing boards to make sure courses in the curriculum do not advocate that any race, sex, or political or religious belief is inherently superior to another.
Democrats have voiced strong objections to the bill, warning it could kill programs that generally experience lower employment demands.
“While I agree that our institutions must be responsive to our workforce needs, this bill imposes a rigid process that could eliminate valuable academic programs, particularly in the humanities and social sciences,” said state Rep. Donna Howard, a Democrat representing parts of Austin.
Howard was joined by fellow Democratic state Rep. Vincent Perez, who said that the bill sends a message that Texas does not trust its educators and prefers state control over academic freedom.
“This bill will lead professors to self-censor and students will learn less about the world,” said Perez, who represents parts of El Paso. “Do we really want a future where Texas students only get a state-sanctioned, sanitized version of history or science?”
Texas is among Republican-led states advancing legislation to revamp higher education.
