texas tech’s DEI ROLLOUT

By: Emily Hill, December 8, 2025

Texas Tech University is making headlines after rolling out new rules that change how professors can teach about race, gender, sexual orientation, and identity. According to the new policy, if a class wants to cover topics related to race or gender, or even show course materials that touch on those issues, the professor now has to submit everything for approval. That approval does not just stay in the department either. It can go all the way up to the university system’s Board of Regents. On top of that, the memo lays out a list of restricted ideas, including things like teaching that there are more than two sexes or that meritocracy is racist or that people are inherently racist or sexist because of their identity. That has caused a lot of concern on campus. Some professors say they have already had to change or cancel class plans because they are unsure what will be allowed. Others feel like this is crossing into censorship and hurting academic freedom. Students, especially LGBTQ students and those who care about social issues, are worried that this will shut down open conversation and make classrooms less welcoming. In short, subjects that used to be normal in humanities and social science courses may now be watered down, delayed, or blocked entirely if they do not pass the new review system. This matters because it changes the way education works. When course content has to satisfy administrators or political appointees instead of academic experts, classes can start to feel safer on the surface but lose depth and honesty. Students who rely on representation in the classroom might also find fewer spaces where their identity or experiences are taken seriously. Professors may choose to avoid certain subjects to stay out of trouble, which can make the entire university feel less open to real discussion. And since other states are watching these kinds of policies closely, Texas Tech might end up influencing what happens at other colleges too. The overall reaction from faculty and students makes it clear that this is not just a classroom issue but a much bigger conversation about academic freedom, inclusion, and what universities are supposed to be for.