Texas Tech System has initiated a system-wide restructuring of its academic offerings, directing campuses to phase out degree programs centered on sexual orientation and gender identity. The move follows an April 2026 memorandum issued by Chancellor Brandon Creighton, signaling a major shift in how academic programs are reviewed and approved across the system.
Texas Tech System Moves to Eliminate Identity-Focused Degrees
The Texas Tech System has instructed its five institutions to identify and discontinue academic programs where sexual orientation and gender identity form the primary academic framework. The directive applies to undergraduate majors, minors, certificates, and graduate programs.
Each campus must submit a finalized list of affected programs by mid-June. Once confirmed, institutions will halt admissions and prevent new students from declaring those programs.
Students currently enrolled will be allowed to complete their degrees through structured teach-out plans aligned with state higher education requirements. This approach is intended to maintain academic continuity while the programs are phased out.
The directive builds on a prior review of course content, expanding oversight from individual classes to full academic credentials.
Texas Tech System Tightens Core Curriculum Standards
The Texas Tech System has introduced updated requirements for general education and lower-level undergraduate courses.
Core curriculum classes must not center on sexual orientation and gender identity. Faculty must replace materials if primary texts focus on these topics. The objective is to standardize foundational coursework across campuses under revised academic guidelines.
The directive sets limits on how these topics may be presented. Courses may not present gender identity as a fluid spectrum or separate gender from biological sex as a scientific baseline. Instruction may still address biological variations when grounded in established scientific frameworks.
System-wide syllabus alignment is being introduced to support consistent implementation across institutions.
Course Review Flags Thousands, Hundreds Adjusted
The Texas Tech System reviewed more than fourteen thousand courses as part of its compliance process.
Roughly fourteen hundred courses were initially identified as potentially containing related material. From that group, several hundred were modified or adjusted to meet updated standards. Others were determined to fall outside the directive or qualified for exemptions based on academic context. A smaller portion underwent additional committee review before final decisions were made.
The review reflects a shift toward centralized academic oversight, with system leadership guiding curriculum standards across campuses.
Limited Exceptions Allowed for Historical Analysis
The directive permits instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity when tied directly to historical or academic analysis.
Examples include the prosecution of Alan Turing and the AIDS epidemic. In these cases, instruction must remain focused on documented historical events or analytical study rather than contemporary frameworks.
Upper-level and graduate courses may retain limited flexibility when topics are directly connected to academic requirements, though these cases are expected to remain narrowly defined.
Faculty Policies Adjust to Reflect System Direction
The memorandum outlines changes affecting faculty roles and hiring priorities.
Current faculty may continue research and publication without restrictions tied to subject matter. Future hiring decisions will prioritize alignment with the system’s academic direction.
Program evaluations will also shift under a unified structure beginning in the next academic cycle. Undergraduate and graduate offerings will be reviewed together at the unit level, allowing broader oversight of academic programs.
State Law Shapes Texas Tech System Review Process
The restructuring aligns with requirements introduced under Senate Bill 37, which took effect in 2025.
The law requires public institutions to conduct regular reviews of academic programs and general education curricula. It emphasizes preparation for civic and professional life and introduces expanded oversight of academic content and program viability.
The Texas Tech System directive reflects how those requirements are being applied at the institutional level, with a focus on program alignment and standardized coursework.
Academic Response Highlights Differing Views
The policy has drawn responses from across the academic community. The American Association of University Professors has raised concerns related to academic scope and faculty autonomy.
Supporters of the directive describe the changes as a move toward clearer academic standards and consistent curriculum expectations across public institutions.
The Texas Tech System has stated that current students will remain on track to complete their degrees while future program offerings are redefined.
