Texas A&M Ends Women And Gender Studies Program
University says policy restricting race and gender instruction led to six course cancellations and syllabus changes across 5,400 planned courses.
Overview
Texas A&M University announced on Jan. 24, 2025 that it will end its women’s and gender studies program and cancel six courses as it implements a new policy limiting classroom instruction on race and gender, university officials said.
The Texas A&M University System regents approved the policy in November 2024, and university advisers revised syllabuses for roughly 5,400 planned courses to comply with rules that prohibit, without presidential approval, teaching that "will advocate race or gender ideology," officials confirmed.
Interim President Tommy Williams said in a news release that "strong oversight and standards protect academic integrity," while Ira Dworkin, associate professor of English and vice president of the American Association of University Professors at Texas A&M, called the decision "absolutely devastating" and blamed political interference by regents appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Supporters such as Inez Stepman of Independent Women praised the move as ending what they called "woke activism training camps," and critics warned of First Amendment and academic freedom risks; Texas A&M enrolls more than 81,000 students and the policy affects all 12 schools in the system, officials confirmed.
Hundreds of students, faculty and alumni protested on Jan. 23, 2025, and the National Women's Studies Association issued a 2025 statement decrying the trend, while university advisers said canceled classes will not prevent students from graduating and opponents said they plan legal and advocacy challenges.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage as neutral. They report factual actions (program closures, syllabus changes), include the university's statement on oversight and critics' concerns about academic freedom, and note student protests and the viral video context. Language is descriptive rather than evaluative, and multiple perspectives are included without loaded adjectives.
Sources (3)
FAQ
The university did not specify the exact names of the six canceled courses, but they were spread across the Bush School of Government and Public Service and the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Education and Human Development. Earlier examples included a sociology course on Introduction to Race and Ethnicity, and content removals related to feminism, queer cinema, and Plato.
The policy, approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in November 2024, prohibits faculty from advocating 'race or gender ideology' or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity without presidential approval for certain non-core or graduate-level courses.
The program had 25 majors and 31 minors enrolled at the time of the announcement.[1]
A teach-out plan is in place, allowing current students to complete their degrees or programs with courses offered for up to six more semesters, though new enrollments are not permitted effective immediately.[1]
University advisers reviewed approximately 5,400 planned course syllabi for compliance, resulting in six cancellations, syllabus adjustments for many others, and 48 exceptions granted by the president out of 54 forwarded for review.
History
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