On December 1, 2025, Texas Tech University system chancellor Brandon Creighton sent a memo to the presidents of all Texas Tech universities announcing a new policy that requires faculty members to seek administrative approval for any course material related to gender and sexual identity. The policy used vague and overbroad terms that conflate discriminatory activity, which is already prohibited by law, with nondiscriminatory research, teaching, or discussion of contested topics.
The new policy prohibits course instructors from teaching content that Texas Tech regents deem to promote the ideas that that any one race or sex is inherently superior or inherently oppressive; or that “meritocracy or a strong work ethic are racist, sexist or constructs of oppression.” The memo requires that instructors only include course material related to gender or sexual identity if it is “relevant and necessary” (emphasis included in the original) for classroom instruction” or required for a professional license or certification. In that case, instructors must submit course material to a review process overseen by the university system’s board of regents that includes their department chair, dean, provost, and, ultimately, Chair and Vice Chair of Academic, Clinical, and Student Affairs Committee. The memo includes a flow chart illustrating this process.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the imposition of ideological restrictions on teaching and research content by non-expert government authorities outside of the university, and about the use of vague and overly broad terms for defining such restrictions. Such policies—even if written in a viewpoint neutral manner—increase the likelihood that students and faculty will self-censor, seeking to avoid sanctions. SAR is further concerned about the imposition of administrative hurdles—in this case, presidential approval requirements–which impede free inquiry unless specifically authorized.
Sources:
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/12/01/texas-tech-university-system-brandon-creighton-race-gender-discussions
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2025/12/02/texas-tech-puts-its-anti-trans-rules-writing
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5629706-texas-tech-race-gender-lesson-plans/
https://www.statesman.com/news/education/article/texas-tech-system-joins-texas-a-m-restricting-21216791.php
https://www.texastech.edu/downloads/25-12-1-Memorandum-Chancellor-Creighton-FINAL.pdf