Texas A&M Ends Women’s and Gender Studies, Alters Hundreds of Courses

On Jan. 30, 2026, Texas A&M University said it would end its women’s and gender studies program and that syllabuses for hundreds of courses had been altered under new systemwide policies limiting how race and gender ideology may be discussed in classrooms. University officials said six courses were canceled entirely out of roughly 5,400 planned for the semester.

The A&M system’s regents, all appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, approved the restrictive policies late last year; Interim President Tommy Williams said he directed the program’s closure because of low enrollment and “the difficulty of bringing the program in compliance with the new system policies,” and that students already pursuing degrees or certificates would be able to complete them.

The program includes more than 80 students across its major, minor and graduate certificate offerings. The systemwide rules say no A&M course may “advocate race or gender ideology, or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity,” and allow discussion of those subjects in non‑core classes only if a campus president agrees there is a “necessary educational purpose.” Syllabus reviews have largely occurred at departmental and college levels, some changes were made by faculty themselves, and administrators said they have been weighing requests for exemptions with what Williams called “common sense” as a gauge.

Administrators and faculty cited several disputed cases this semester.

texas a&m university, women's and gender studies program, a&m system policies, race and gender ideology, tommy williams, greg abbott, syllabus changes, course cancellations, possible court challenges, leonard bright, l.g.b.t.q. studies minor