The Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System has taken significant steps to reshape academic programs by mandating the phase-out of courses focused on sexual orientation and gender identity. This directive, issued by Chancellor Brandon Creighton, not only targets specific academic programs but also imposes restrictions on research topics and faculty recruitment practices.
In a memo distributed on Friday, Creighton set a deadline of June 15 for provosts to identify programs affected by this directive. Additionally, the five universities within the system are required to freeze admissions and prevent students from declaring majors in the phased-out areas. However, students already enrolled will be allowed to complete their degrees.
The memo specifies that graduate theses and dissertations on these subjects will only be permitted as a temporary exception for those currently enrolled. Furthermore, future faculty hiring will be aligned with the new policy guidelines.
In the memo, Creighton also emphasized a definition of human sex, stating that faculty must recognize only “two human sexes” and should not present gender identity as a spectrum or acknowledge more than two genders as factual—a policy he introduced last year.
For core and lower-level undergraduate courses, instructors are generally prohibited from assigning materials that are “centered on” or “include” sexual orientation or gender identity. The memo clarifies that “centered on” refers to course content that treats these subjects as primary, while “includes” implies that such themes may be present as secondary elements or demographic data but should not dominate the curriculum. If a standard textbook contains relevant content, faculty are instructed not to emphasize it, assess students on it, or dedicate class time to it.
There are some allowances for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses, particularly in areas like public policy analysis, legal disputes, and historical contexts where sexual orientation or gender identity is integral to the discussion, as well as certain clinical and psychology courses.
Although currently employed faculty members retain the right to research and publish on topics of their choosing, future hiring will prioritize adherence to the new memorandum.
Jen Shelton, an associate professor of English with 25 years at Texas Tech, expressed her dismay at the new policy, describing it as a betrayal. She indicated that the provost’s office had previously reassured faculty that their research would remain unaffected.
Creighton had previously requested faculty to submit course content related to race, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation for review. If the content was not necessary for professional licensure or certification, campus leaders were required to forward it to the Board of Regents for final assessment. This decision left professors in uncertainty as the Regents did not address the issue at their meeting on February 26.
At a summit held by the Texas Public Policy Foundation in Austin, Creighton announced the development of an AI algorithm to review syllabi and course materials across approximately 14,000 courses within the system, with findings to be released shortly. He criticized what some faculty term “academic drift,” arguing that it has polluted university curricula nationwide and expressed confidence that Texas Tech would set a new standard for educational quality.
The Texas Tech University System reported that out of an initial identification of 1,403 courses, only 92 underwent review by the Board of Regents’ Academic, Clinical, and Student Affairs Committee, with fewer than 60 recommended for modification. An additional 299 courses were adjusted proactively before reaching the committee.
