A new bill in Texas could change how public colleges and universities manage their faculty governing groups. If Governor Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 37 (SB 37), college presidents will get more power over faculty councils and senates. This is part of a big change in how shared governance works in Texas schools.
What Is Senate Bill 37?
SB 37 is a law passed by the Texas State Legislature on May 31. It aims to limit how much power faculty groups have in running colleges and universities. The bill says that the school’s board of regents is the only group allowed to create faculty councils or senates. This means faculty cannot create these groups on their own anymore.
The bill also says these groups cannot slow down or block important changes at the school. It warns against using these councils to push political ideas or personal beliefs.
What Changes Will SB 37 Bring?
- Board Controls Faculty Councils
Only the board of regents can decide if a faculty council or senate will exist. If the board says yes, the college president will control how meetings are run. The president will also choose leaders of these groups. - Limit on Group Size
Faculty councils and senates will have to shrink to 60 members or fewer unless the board allows more. This can make it harder to represent all faculty fairly, especially at big schools. - Representation Rules
Each college or school within a university must have at least two representatives. But because of the small size, some groups may have very limited voices, especially in large departments. - Term Limits and Member Removal
The bill sets limits on how long members can serve. Presidential appointees can serve longer than elected members. Also, members can be removed if they miss meetings or do not follow rules, giving more control to the administration.
Concerns From Faculty Leaders
Faculty leaders worry that SB 37 will reduce their voice and power. For example, Andrew Klein from Texas A&M said it will be hard to represent thousands of faculty with only 60 seats on the senate. Dan Price from the University of Houston thinks the bill wrongly assumes faculty groups act like unions and wants the public to understand faculty value better.
Faculty fear that the bill makes shared governance “advisory only,” meaning faculty groups will only give advice, but the board and presidents will make the final decisions. This change could weaken the role faculty play in important decisions like curriculum and school policies.
Additional Impact on Education Programs
SB 37 also asks the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to review general education requirements and consider reducing the number of courses needed for graduation. Schools will also review minors and certificate programs every five years to cut low-enrollment options.
This could affect humanities and other programs, possibly reducing course choices for students.
Political Support for SB 37
Governor Abbott has not yet said if he will sign the bill but his office showed support for limiting faculty power. His press secretary said the governor believes “woke college professors” have too much control over hiring. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick praised the bill as a success in reducing liberal influence in universities.
What This Means for Texas Colleges
If signed into law, SB 37 will reshape how faculty governance works in Texas public colleges. Faculty groups will lose some independence and become more controlled by university leaders and boards. This could change how decisions about teaching and campus life are made.
Faculty members still hope to work with their boards to keep some influence, but the future is uncertain.
- SB 37 gives college boards and presidents more control over faculty groups.
- Faculty councils must shrink and are limited in power.
- Faculty leaders worry about fair representation and loss of influence.
- The bill could lead to changes in education programs across Texas.
- Governor Abbott and state leaders support reducing faculty power.
This Breaking News story is important for anyone interested in higher education, faculty rights, and Texas politics. Stay tuned for updates as this bill moves through the next steps.
