Does Texas A&M’s botched hire spell doom for classroom diversity? Some say yes

With pageantry that included balloons, a banner and an outdoor signing ceremony, Texas A&M University celebrated a diverse new chapter in its history with its June hiring of Kathleen McElroy. Just days later, McElroy’s tenure offer unraveled after the university buckled under backlash from Texas Scorecard, a conservative website, and an unspecified group of individuals close to the university who opposed her previous diversity initiatives. McElroy said in a statement that she was “deeply grateful” for the outpouring of support from current and former students, as well as “Aggies of all majors.” “Aggie” is a nickname adopted by Texas A&M for its students, who it referred to as “Farmers” until the 1920s. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents met Sunday in an hourslong executive session to approve “potential” negotiations of a settlement with McElroy. In a letter sent last week, the Texas A&M Black Former Student Network criticized the school’s leadership for promoting values such as loyalty, respect and self-service while showing that they “don’t have the character nor the courage to follow these Core Values.” Current students remain concerned about the impact the DEI ban will have on activities, programs and speech on campus next year.