TEXAS A&M PRESIDENT KATHERINE BANKS RESIGNS
Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks is resigning.
(Texas A&M University)
In a press release, the university revealed that Banks submitted a letter late Thursday announcing she would retire immediately. Mark A. Welsh III, Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service, was named acting president until a successor is chosen for Banks, who had served in the role since 2021.
Banks’ resignation letter said her decision is due to recent challenges regarding the mishandling of the hiring of Dr. Kathleen McElroy to oversee Texas A&M’s journalism program. She said, “The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.”
Last month, the university announced that McElroy, a 1981 graduate of Texas A&M, former New York Times journalist and current University of Texas professor, would join A&M to revive its journalism school. However, details emerged of negotiations between the two parties falling apart after the offer was altered from one with possible tenure to a five-year position without tenure and then to a one-year appointment with the potential to be terminated at any time.
At a Faculty Senate meeting Wednesday, Banks stated she was unaware of the changes to the job offer but took responsibility for failures in the hiring process.
Published reports state that the university faced pressure from outside influences who showed dissatisfaction with McElroy’s past work to improve diversity and inclusion in newsrooms. This comes as a new state law going into effect next year will ban diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs at public universities.
The Faculty Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution to create a fact-finding committee to look into McElroy’s failed hiring.
What an unbelievably dumb reason to cause the resignation of a university president. The fact that “outside influences” played any role in this is insane. This DEI agenda has gone too far, yes, we need to treat everyone fairly and treat everyone with respect, regardless of race, gender, etc. However, the Supreme Court and the Texas legislature have ruled that enough is enough. Let’s start treating all people the same and allow qualified officials to do their job.