Students and professors defend Texas A&M President Mark Welsh amid calls for his ousting

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Top faculty members and student leaders issued letters of support for Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III on Wednesday as several Republican lawmakers have called for his firing.

The letters come after more than a week of turmoil at Texas A&M, after a video of a student confronting a professor over gender identity material being taught in a children’s literature class went viral online. They also come ahead of a university system regents’ meeting in which they are set to discuss personnel matters.

Welsh, who initially supported the professor in the video, fired her on Sept. 9. The day before, he had revoked administrative positions from the department head of the English department, which oversaw the class, and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Multiple Republican lawmakers have called on the Texas A&M University System regents to fire Welsh over his handling of the matter. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick posted a statement on X on Sept. 11 saying that Welsh’s “ambivalence on the issue and his dismissal of the student’s concerns by immediately taking the side of the professor is unacceptable.” Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, who first posted the video of the student confronting the professor, said that Welsh “must be fired for forcing radical trans indoctrination on students.”

Other Republicans, like state representatives Andy Hopper and Nate Schatzline have also called for Welsh’s firing.

On Wednesday, Texas A&M’s Executive Committee of the University Distinguished Professors, which is composed of 12 distinguished professors elected to three-year terms, sent a letter in support of Welsh to Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar, Board of Regents Chair Robert L. Albritton and other regents. The distinguished professor title is the highest achievement a faculty member can earn at Texas A&M. It is granted to faculty who have made at least one transformational contribution in their field.

“All members of this Committee write this letter collectively to strongly urge you to retain President Mark Welsh in the wake of recent events,” the letter reads.

The professors praised Welsh’s leadership, writing that he has been critical to A&M’s stability since national controversy struck the university in 2023.

Welsh, a retired four-star general and former chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, became president that year after former president M. Katherine Banks resigned following the botched hiring of journalism professor Kathleen McElroy. McElroy’s offer of employment was watered down after regents expressed concerns about her work on diversity, equity and inclusion.

“When General Welsh assumed the presidency, he inherited a campus that was discouraged and depressed by uncertainty caused by poor leadership,” the professors’ letter reads. “He quickly earned faculty trust through his transparent and honest management style.”

His predecessor’s tenure was marked by faculty’s lack of confidence in her. Just months before Welsh stepped into the role, an elected faculty group said they had “serious concerns” with then-President Banks’ leadership after a survey that polled faculty found widespread distrust of her administration.

In another letter of support issued Wednesday, Nancy Skokan, the president of the Federation of Texas A&M University Mothers’ Clubs, calls on the organization’s members to write a letter to the chancellor and regents in support of Welsh.

“In my opinion, I have personally seen the care and character that Gen. Welsh and his wife Betty have displayed in serving this University,” Skokan wrote. “He is transparent, always.”

Texas A&M’s student government also sent a letter to Hegar and regents on Wednesday with similar praise. It was signed by dozens of current and former student leaders, and said Welsh carries “a steadfast love and stewardship for our University, one that inspires our faith and confidence in his leadership.”

“Our goal is not to claim his perfection, but to recognize his character and the evident results of his leadership across campus,” the letter reads.

Welsh has attracted criticism from Republican leaders before. In January, Gov. Greg Abbott threatened Welsh’s job after conservative activist Christopher Rufo posted on X a university email detailing plans to send students and staffers to a conference that limited participation to people who are Black, Hispanic or Native American, accusing the university of breaking the state’s DEI ban. Welsh announced that Texas A&M would sever ties with the conference soon after Abbott’s post.

The letters of support come a day before a special meeting of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The regents will meet at 4 p.m. to discuss several personnel matters, including the appointment of the president of Texas A&M International University and the appointment of the sole finalist for president at Texas A&M University-Victoria. The regents’ meeting agenda does not mention discussing Welsh or his employment directly.

Disclosure: Texas A&M International University, Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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