MANILA, Philippines — Texas A&M University administrators informed faculty this week that about 200 courses in the College of Arts and Sciences could be affected by a new system policy that restricts classroom discussions of race and gender, days before the spring semester begins.
College officials disclosed the estimate during faculty meetings as the university implements a Texas A&M System policy approved by the Board of Regents in November and revised in December. The policy requires administrative approval for courses that discuss race, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, particularly in introductory and core curriculum classes.
Emails obtained by The Texas Tribune show the policy has already led to course cancellations, renumbering of classes to remove core curriculum credit, and directives for professors to revise syllabi or teach different courses. Some of the affected classes already have students enrolled.
Under the revised policy, most discussion of race and gender in core courses is prohibited unless administrators determine in writing that the material serves a “necessary educational purpose.” Campus leaders began a rapid review of syllabi ahead of the semester start on Jan. 12.
In one case, administrators canceled SOCI 217, Introduction to Race and Ethnicity, stating in an email to enrolled students that the course could not be taught “in its present form” under the revised rules. The email said students with a demonstrable need for the course could pursue it through an independent study option.
In another case, a communications course on religion and the arts was renumbered and stripped of its core curriculum designation.
Emails also show that a philosophy professor was instructed to remove modules related to race and gender from a core course or be reassigned. Professor Martin Peterson submitted his syllabus for PHIL 111, Contemporary Moral Issues, for review on Dec. 22. On Tuesday, his department head informed him that he must remove the modules, including readings from Plato, or teach a noncore course. Peterson said he revised the syllabus and replaced the material with lectures on free speech and academic freedom.
Texas A&M said in a statement that the directive did not ban the teaching of Plato, noting that other sections of the same course that include Plato but do not address race or gender were approved.
The policy followed a conservative backlash after a student secretly recorded a professor discussing gender identity in a children’s literature class. The video circulated widely online.
Faculty members said Interim Dean Simon North told them during a meeting Monday that roughly 200 courses were identified as potentially affected, though the number remains preliminary as departments continue submitting syllabi for review.
North estimated that about 30 courses may seek exemptions by arguing that discussions of race or gender are central to their curricula. University administrators will decide whether to grant those exemptions in the coming weeks.
University officials did not respond to detailed questions about how exemption decisions will be made.
