Texas A&M president is stepping down after upheaval over classroom video

Texas A&M University’s president is stepping down after facing criticism over a classroom video that showed a student objecting to a children’s literature lesson about gender, which led to the professor’s firing.

The resignation of school president Mark A. Welsh III was announced Thursday by Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar, who said it was “the right moment for change” at one of the nation’s largest universities.

Hegar did not mention the video in a statement. But Welsh’s departure comes after the video thrust his campus into turmoil and put him under criticism by some Republican lawmakers, including the state’s lieutenant governor.

“Together, we believe this transition is necessary to ensure Texas A&M is well positioned for the future, a future that demands bold leadership, continued innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the core values of this university to meet the challenges we face,” Hegar said.

Welsh’s resignation will take effect on Friday, according to the school. The university system did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting a copy of his resignation letter.

The university did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment from Welsh.

The decision comes just over a week after Welsh announced that he had directed the campus provost to fire Melissa McCoul, a senior lecturer in the English department with over a decade of teaching experience, after political pressure from Republican lawmakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott, who had called for her termination.

Welsh had said she was fired after he learned she had continued teaching content in a children’s literature course “that did not align with any reasonable expectation of standard curriculum for the course.” He also said that the course content was not matching its catalog descriptions.

McCoul’s attorney, Amanda Reichek, had pushed back on his claims, saying in a statement that McCoul’s “course content was entirely consistent with the catalog and course description, and she was never instructed to change her course content in any way, shape, or form.”

Welsh had also ordered the removal of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English Department from their administrative positions, while Hegar ordered an audit of courses at all 12 schools in the system.

The actions by Texas A&M were criticized by faculty and writers’ groups.

Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had blasted Welsh and his handling of the instructor.

“His ambivalence on the issue and his dismissal of the student’s concerns by immediately taking the side of the professor is unacceptable,” Patrick posted on X last week.

Hegar described Welsh as working tirelessly and selflessly during his presidential tenure, which started in 2023.

Welsh previously worked as dean of the university’s school of government and public service after retiring from the U.S. Air Force, according to the school’s website.