Documents reveal outsiders' influence on the Texas A&M University process that ultimately turned Kathleen McElvoy away. ADVERTISEMENT [Weekly Briefing Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. Records show outside groups influenced a botched hiring Kathleen O. McElroy made a splash this summer when Texas A&M University announced it was reviving its journalism program by putting her at the departmentâs helm. McElroy, a prominent Black journalist who spent years at The New York Times before becoming a tenured professor and director of the University of Texas at Austinâs journalism school, later turned down the offer from A&M after it was diluted from the original contract. The situation at A&M turned heads across the country. It had echoes of the debacle[at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,]( an offer to another New York Times journalist, Nikole Hannah-Jones, was derailed by conservative opponents. She eventually rejected Chapel Hillâs offer and went to Howard University. McElroyâs hiring involved alumni groups and board members â groups that typically have little say in the hiring of a tenured faculty member. Documents published last week in a Texas A&M University[investigation,]( and some provided in response to a Chronicle public-records request, show just how unusual this hiring process was. The resulting controversy also [sank the institutionâs president]( M. Katherine Banks. This case is just the latest in a troubling trend for faculty members, in which politicians and other external forces take an outsize interest in a public universityâs work. Trouble began early for McElroyâs hire. On May 11, José Luis Bermúdez, the now-former interim dean of Texas A&Mâs College of Arts and Sciences, requested funds to re-establish the universityâs journalism program. To help revive and expand the program, Bermúdez wanted to hire McElroy. That evening he had dinner with Banks, then the president, according to text messages. In a text to Hart Blanton, head of A&Mâs communication and journalism department, Bermúdez said that he and Banks had decided to delay the hiring until after the Texas state legislative session adjourned in late May. Bermúdez, who declined to comment to The Chronicle, wrote to Hart that the Times connection would be âpoor opticsâ for Texas lawmakers. Still, the search committee recommended McElroy in April, and some department heads even congratulated Bermúdez for recruiting McElroy. As the hiring was delayed, McElroy grew frustrated, according to documents. After a June announcement that she was taking the tenured position, an [article]( by a university student was published by the Texas Scorecard, a conservative news site. The story describes her as a supporter of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Texasâ governor had just signed a new law banning DEI officers at the stateâs public colleges. Thatâs when the alarm bells from the Board of Regents sounded. At least two members voiced their concerns to administrators. Jay Graham, a member of the Board of Regents, texted Banks and John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M system, âI thought the purpose of us starting a journalism department was to get high-quality Aggie journalist [sic] with conservative values into the market,â he wrote. âThis wonât happen with someone like this leading the department.â Michael A. Hernandez III, another regent, emailed Banks and Sharp, writing that McElroy was, âexactly the opposite of what we had in mind for someone in that position.â Vickie Spillers, executive director of the regentsâ office, did not respond to a request for comment from The Chronicle. Two alumni groups â the Sul Ross Group and the Rudder Association â also texted Bermúdez that they didnât favor McElroy. Both alumni groups have several conservative members. Banks texted Bermúdez to prepare for âmore press and awful emails.â [Read what happened next in our Zachary Schermeleâs full story here](. ADVERTISEMENT NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. Lagniappe - Play. [This new interactive game]( has you place significant historical events in chronological order. Youâll be surprised that some moments happened later or earlier than you thought. Did you know that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was enacted just in 1974? I figured legislation that famously gave women equal access to credit happened earlier than it did! (The New York Times)
- Read. Many workers are worried about the rise of artificial intelligence. [This article explains]( the existential problem AI has created in Hollywood. (Bloomberg) âFernanda SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for as low as $59. Take advantage of our limited-time savings event and get unlimited access to essential reporting, data, and analysis. Chronicle Top Reads FOES WERE 'GUNNING FOR HER' [Who Had a Say in Derailing Texas A&Mâs Hiring of Kathleen McElroy?]( By Zachary Schermele [STORY IMAGE]( New hires are typically matters reserved for deans, chairs, and a few others. Not so at Texas A&M. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Chris Rufo Canât Decide Between Propaganda and Intellectual History]( By Len Gutkin [STORY IMAGE]( The journalist shaped the conversation around higher ed. Howâs his book? THE INVISIBLE HURDLE [Why Transferring Credits Can Be One of Higher Edâs Most Stubborn Barriers]( By Scott Carlson [STORY IMAGE]( Bureaucracy, institutional self-interest, and seemingly minor systemic snags can make moving from community college through a four-year institution almost unbearably difficult. ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Restructuring a University - The Chronicle Store]( [Restructuring a University]( In 2022, Henderson State University declared financial exigency after realizing it could no longer avoid hard choices. This case study of the universityâs path to near-ruin highlights lessons for any college leader contemplating a restructuring to keep an institution viable. [Order your copy]( to learn about key factors to consider in a restructuring process. NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2023 [The Chronicle of Higher Education](
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