Texas A&M Course Cuts
Texas A&M System Regents Consider Cutting Hundreds of Courses Under New Law
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Beyond Texas A&M College Station's 103 proposed removals, the system-wide plan shows San Antonio with 76, Tarleton State University with 48, and West Texas A&M and Texas A&M University-Texarkana with 21 each, while the remaining six universities have between 13 and 18 removals.
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Flagship Texas A&M College Station would drop additional listed courses such as Bible as Literature alongside climate-change-related offerings, expanding beyond LGBTQ literature and gender-focused titles.
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The agenda shows a total of 360 entries marked 'remove' across all 11 universities, indicating a broader scope than the roughly 200-plus figure often discussed.
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Leonard Bright, president of the AAUP chapter at Texas A&M-College Station, described the review as a political decision and warned that the pattern of removals suggests a shift away from prioritizing 'globalness' in the curriculum.
The Texas A&M University System will remove more than 200 courses from general-education requirements across its 11 campuses, The Battalion reported. The cuts include classes on LGBTQ studies, climate change, women's and gender studies, and race and ethnicity. College Station faces the heaviest impact with 103 proposed removals, while San Antonio would lose 76 courses and Tarleton State University 48. The decision follows a state law requiring universities to review which courses count as foundational for a college degree.
University officials say the law requires core courses to be fundamental to college education and workforce readiness, leaving schools to define what counts as foundational. The Victoria Advocate noted that the Board of Regents approved the revised curriculum following a mandated five-year review. Critics argue the removals reflect political pressure from Governor Greg Abbott to eliminate diversity-focused offerings and amount to curriculum censorship.
Specific Courses and Campuses Hit Hardest
Texas A&M College Station plans to drop 103 courses, including Bible as Literature and climate-change-related offerings alongside gender and LGBTQ titles. Joe My God reported that the system-wide agenda shows 360 removal entries across all universities. San Antonio faces 76 cuts, Tarleton State 48, West Texas A&M and Texarkana each 21, and the remaining six campuses between 13 and 18 removals. The January deadline for implementation is approaching quickly.
Critics Warn of Political Overreach and Academic Harm
Leonard Bright, president of the American Association of University Professors chapter at College Station, called the review a political decision. The Lufkin Daily News quoted Bright warning that the pattern of removals signals a shift away from prioritizing 'globalness' in curriculum. Professors argue the core should reflect global and civic responsibilities, not narrow definitions of foundational knowledge. They say the cuts undermine the university's broader educational mission and represent censorship.
What State Law Requires and Leaves Undefined
Senate Bill 37 mandates that core courses be foundational and prepare students for civic life and work. The Advocate noted the law requires public university boards to examine which classes count as general education. However, SB 37 leaves the exact definitions of 'foundational' and 'fundamental' largely to universities themselves. This vague language has allowed schools to interpret the law in ways that align with state political priorities.
Targeted Subjects Show Clear Pattern, Critics Say
Classes most commonly marked for removal include LGBTQ literature, climate change, women's and gender studies, race and ethnicity, Latinx literature, and Black and Latino history and culture. The Lufkin Daily News reported these subjects dominate the removal list across the system. Supporters argue the cuts keep core requirements lean and affordable for students. Opponents counter the selections reflect political ideology rather than educational merit or foundational importance to a college degree.
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