Texas A&M University has removed a dean and a department head, as well as an instructor, after a student complaint about gender studies content in a course ignited controversy among state and federal leaders. The situation unfolded after Texas Rep. Brian Harrison posted a video on X showing a student objecting to what he described as "transgender indoctrination" in Dr. Melissa McCoul's class, per KBTX. The video, along with the course's deviation from its published description, prompted university President Mark Welsh to act swiftly. Welsh stated that students need accurate course information to make informed academic choices, and that failing to honor course descriptions undermines trust.
Chancellor Glenn Hegar also weighed in, emphasizing that faculty shouldn't "push a personal political agenda." He noted that early findings indicated McCoul didn't follow guidance to match course materials with official descriptions, suggesting a pattern of noncompliance. Hegar pledged to work with the Board of Regents to prevent similar issues in the future. KBTX reports that the College of Arts and Sciences dean and an English department head have been removed from their administrative duties, and in a Tuesday statement, Welsh announced he'd also terminated McCoul.
The controversy has drawn attention beyond campus. Harmeet Dhillon, a Department of Justice official, called the incident "deeply concerning" and said it would be investigated. This episode also comes as faculty at Texas universities voice rising frustration with the state's political climate. According to a Texas Tribune survey, "about a quarter of the Texas professors said they have applied for higher education jobs in other states in the last two years, and more than 25% said they soon intend to start searching for out-of-state positions."
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