Higher Education

Texas Tech students and faculty gathered at Memorial Circle Thursday afternoon to protest against new restrictions on course materials.

This week, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce announced that the Hub City BBQ Cookoff, scheduled as a two day event in September, will not be open to the public this year. The UT System board of regents have approved a measure for faculty to avoid quote “controversial topics.” KUT’s Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vazquez tells us faculty and advocates are worried this might lead to censorship.

This is the latest move by the state to have more control over what is taught at public universities.

The affected departments include African and African Diaspora Studies; Mexican American and Latina/o Studies; Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies; and several others.

The American Association of University Professors has started a petition against policies that limit classroom discussions about topics including race and gender.

An event organized by a student group intended to discuss abortion was cancelled by the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center late last month, after backlash from conservative activists and Turning Point USA at Texas Tech. Now, another free speech group is calling on the TTUHSC to allow them to reschedule the event.

The system’s chancellor meant to instill clarity and accountability, but three weeks into the spring semester, some instructors say the standards have led to “censorship.”

The Texas governor expects an action plan later this week, saying he doesn't see "any reason" visa holders should be employed in schools.

As students return to colleges and universities across Texas, questions remain regarding discussions of gender and race in the classroom and on campus. Our Samantha Larned reports on the latest from the Texas Tech and Texas A&M university systems.

As students return to colleges and universities across the state, questions remain regarding discussions of gender and race on Texas campuses. Faculty with the Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University systems are dealing with the impact of new policies on their class curriculums, as West Texas A&M continues to face legal challenges to its drag performance ban.