Texas A&M University has announced it will discontinue its women’s and gender studies degree program, citing low student enrollment and new restrictions governing academic curriculum as the institution reshapes its course offerings.
In a statement released Friday, the university said the interdisciplinary program no longer aligns with updated academic standards and has struggled to attract sufficient student interest. Current students enrolled in the major will be allowed to complete their degrees, the university said.
University leadership also pointed to financial considerations. In an internal email to faculty obtained by The Texas Tribune, Interim President Tommy Williams and Senior Executive Associate Cynthia Werner said the decision was driven by cost concerns and limited enrollment.
“We know this is devastating news,” the administrators wrote, according to the Tribune. “One of the primary duties of university administrators is to be good stewards of public money. Even the smallest programs require ongoing investment in faculty time, staff support, and administrative oversight.”
The program’s elimination comes amid heightened political and public scrutiny of gender and sexuality issues at the College Station-based university. Texas A&M has recently been at the center of statewide debate following a classroom dispute that gained national attention.
During a summer course titled Literature for Children, a student challenged the professor over gender identity-related content, telling the instructor she was “not sure this was legal to be teaching” and citing an executive order signed by President Trump. After returning to office last January, Trump issued an order stating that U.S. policy recognizes “two sexes, male and female” and directing federal agencies to avoid promoting what the order described as “gender ideology.”
The classroom exchange escalated into a tense argument, after which the professor removed the student from the class. The incident was later shared on social media, triggering backlash from state officials. The professor was fired, and the university president resigned under mounting political pressure.
Following the leadership change, Texas A&M’s Board of Regents adopted new restrictions on course content and launched a comprehensive curriculum review ahead of the spring 2026 semester. Under the updated guidelines, the board barred courses that “teach race or gender ideology or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity,” while allowing limited exceptions subject to presidential approval.
Alongside the termination of the women’s and gender studies degree, the university confirmed it has canceled six additional courses. Officials said “hundreds of syllabi across 17” colleges and schools were revised to comply with the new standards. Of 54 exception requests submitted, the university said the president approved 48.
University officials framed the changes as part of a broader effort to align academic offerings with state policy and fiscal priorities, signaling that further curriculum adjustments could follow as the review process continues.
