The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Thursday unanimously approved a set of policy changes that will require campus presidents to review and authorize any course that could be interpreted as promoting race or gender ideology or addressing topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity. The new rules take effect immediately, with enforcement scheduled to begin in spring 2026.
Under the amendments, the system defines race ideology as material that assigns collective blame, inherent characteristics, or moral responsibility to a specific race or ethnicity, or that encourages activism related to race rather than focusing on academic analysis. Gender ideology is defined as content that treats gender primarily as a matter of personal identification rather than biological sex. Courses that engage with these concepts, or that involve topics connected to sexual orientation or gender identity, will now require advance approval from a campus president or a designated representative.
Regents also adopted a separate policy preventing faculty from teaching material that falls outside the approved syllabus for a course. Together, the measures consolidate oversight of academic content at the administrative level and shift scrutiny toward course design rather than the conduct of instructors in individual classroom interactions.
System officials described the changes as clarifying existing expectations about curricular alignment rather than imposing new limitations on academic inquiry. The approach centers on expanding the definition of content deemed ideological and creating a standardized process for evaluating courses that touch on sensitive or politically contested subjects.
The vote comes after several months of intense attention on Texas A&M’s handling of a controversy involving a children’s literature course. A student secretly recorded lectures in which a professor discussed gender identity, later sharing the material with state officials and conservative media outlets. The recordings prompted accusations that the course advanced views suggesting gender is not strictly determined by biological sex. The episode led to the professor’s removal, as well as administrative changes within the College of Arts and Sciences and the English Department. Former President Mark Welsh, who had attempted to contextualize the course materials for the student during the dispute, stepped down from his position in the aftermath.
The controversy accelerated political scrutiny of classroom content across the system and prompted calls from state leaders for tighter oversight. Supporters of the new rules argue that the policies provide a clearer framework for determining which subjects require administrative review and help ensure that courses maintain a focus on academic objectives. Critics are expected to view the measures as part of a broader attempt to restrict discussions of race, gender, and sexuality in higher education.
With the amendments now approved, campuses across the Texas A&M System will begin adjusting their curriculum-review processes to meet the new requirements ahead of the 2026 enforcement date. How the rules shape course offerings, faculty governance, and academic decision-making is likely to emerge as a key issue for the system in the coming years.
