Texas bill changing control of higher ed curriculum goes to governor's desk
The Texas legislature passed a bill on Monday that would give state boards appointed by the governor more power over universities' curriculum, sending the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) desk.
Governing boards at higher education institutions, which are appointed by the governor, will be able to review and strike down general curriculum requirements at the universities.
The new legislation also gives these boards more power over hiring, elimination of degrees with low enrollment and creates a new oversight office for noncompliance complaints.
The bill, which will likely be signed by the governor, is the latest effort among Republican states to control curriculum and other aspects of higher education institutions.
'The objective of this legislation is to provide consistency with respect to our curriculum and the degrees we're offering our students,' said Republican state Rep. Matt Shaheen, co-sponsor of the legislation, the Associated Press reported.
In places like Florida, it has become common place for similar boards to strip requirements for gender or diversity courses and replace it with civics classes.
The move comes as the Trump administration has also been exerting more pressure on universities, stripping them of funding if demands such as eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion aren't met.
'Political operatives have basically used their positions of power — political power, economic power — to demand that the institutions conform to their ideas,' said Isaac Kamola, director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors, according to the AP.
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