A pair of scandals involving political meddling by conservatives at Texas A&M have rocked academia across the state recently - an esteemed journalism professor whose hiring was publicly celebrated found her arrangement with A&M curtailed following input from powerful Aggieland conservatives, and an adjunct professor who had dared to point out that state policies regarding fentanyl testing are exacerbating the death toll in Texas found herself in the crosshairs of none other than Lt. Governor Dan Patrick - nearly losing her job.
New laws regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies at Texas' institutions of higher learning have hit the ground fast in College Station. Should collegiate faculty across Texas now be worried about keeping their gigs - or even seeking them in such an environment to begin with? To help us understand what's at stake and what to expect next, we've invited Pat Heintzelman, President of the Texas Faculty Association, and Alex Morey, Director of Campus Rights Advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression or FIRE to join us.