Brandon Creighton, State Senator of District 4 in Texas, said that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) reforms for higher education institutions have made a significant impact at Texas A&M University but emphasized that the work is ongoing. Creighton shared his statement in a November 7 post on X.
"Proud to see the reforms we passed in the Texas Senate making a real impact at Texas A&M," said Creighton. "Our work isn't done—we'll keep up the momentum to ensure Texas colleges stay focused on education, innovation and degrees of value. More bold reforms are coming for higher ed in the 89th session."
According to The Battalion's post on X, the Texas A&M System Board of Regents unanimously passed a resolution requiring President Mark Welsh III to "take actions necessary to eliminate" 14 minors and 38 certificates. This decision was due to certain programs not meeting newly defined enrollment thresholds. Programs such as LGBTQ Studies, Global Health, Asian Studies, and Geophysics are among those discontinued.
On June 14, 2023, Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 17, authored by Creighton, which banned DEI initiatives in higher education according to the Texas State Senate. S.B. 17 mandated the closure of all DEI offices on state-funded campuses and prohibited DEI training for any reason. Concurrently, Abbott signed S.B. 18, which "increases the frequency and rigor of tenure review and establishes guidelines for colleges and universities to dismiss underperforming professors." Creighton said these legislative changes better equip institutes of higher education to prepare future leaders and maintain Texas as an economic powerhouse.
Senator Brandon Creighton is noted for his background as the youngest of four children who financed his college education at the University of Texas Austin by working as an electrician at the Texaco Chemical Plant and serving as a policy advisor in the Texas Senate. According to his website, as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, he has built a reputation as a fiscal conservative through passing and supporting several bills. In 2022, Creighton was appointed to lead both the Senate Committees on Public Education and Higher Education and also serves on the Senate Finance Committee. He is also an attorney and real estate developer residing in Conroe, TX with his family.
