Texas A&M announced it will wind down its Women’s & Gender Studies certificate after a spring review of roughly 5,400 syllabi that led to the cancellation of six courses. University leaders said the action reflects new System policy requirements and limited student enrollment. Officials emphasized that advisors coordinated the changes so students can remain on track to graduate, and that there are no current plans to replace the affected degree programs. Education policy advocates praised the move as a step toward preserving academic standards and public trust.
Texas A&M to Wind Down Women’s & Gender Studies Certificate After Review of 5,400 Syllabi
Texas A&M is winding down their Women’s and Gender Studies certificate, according to an announcement the university made on Monday, a move that education advocates are welcoming.(iStock)
Texas A&M University announced on Friday that it will wind down its Women’s & Gender Studies certificate program following a comprehensive spring-semester course review that examined roughly 5,400 course syllabi.
University officials said the action reflected compliance with new System policy requirements and limited student interest in the program based on recent enrollment trends. As part of the review, six courses were canceled — a small fraction of the university’s overall offerings.
What the Review Found
According to the university news release, the review resulted in the cancellation of six courses distributed across several colleges: one in the Bush School of Government and Public Service; two in the College of Arts and Sciences; two in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and one in the College of Education and Human Development. The canceled classes represent about 0.11% of the total number of courses evaluated.
According to the university’s news release, a total of six courses were canceled, including one course in the Bush School of Government and Public Service, two courses in the College of Arts and Sciences, two courses in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and one course in the College of Education and Human Development.
Texas A&M emphasized that advisors worked throughout the process to ensure cancellations would not prevent current students from staying on track to graduate.
"For 150 years, Texas A&M has led the way for higher education in Texas, our mission unchanged," Interim President Tommy Williams said in the announcement. "Strong oversight and standards protect academic integrity and restore public trust, guaranteeing that a degree from Texas A&M means something to our students and the people who will hire them."
Reactions
Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow at Defending Education, praised the decision, calling it an example other institutions should follow. She noted that after reviewing more than 5,400 syllabi, the university eliminated only six classes and said the reassessment could help ensure degree programs are "high-quality, value-neutral, transparent, and cost-efficient."
Jonathan Butcher, acting director for the Center for Education Policy, and Will Skillman, senior research fellow in education policy at The Heritage Foundation, also supported the move, saying it aligns with efforts to emphasize rigorous academics over advocacy-focused programs.
A general view shows the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas, in December 2016.
Tim Eaton, assistant vice president for institutional reputation management at Texas A&M, told Fox News Digital that the decision to wind down the Women’s & Gender Studies certificate was driven by the new System policies and by limited student enrollment in recent years. He added that there are no current plans to replace the affected majors, minors or graduate certificates, and that students already enrolled will be able to complete their degrees.
What This Means For Students
University officials stated that academic advisors coordinated the course adjustments so that cancellations would not create obstacles for students’ progress to graduation. Texas A&M said the wind-down affects the certificate program specifically; current enrollees will be allowed to finish their programs under existing requirements.
Note: The university framed the review as part of routine curriculum oversight and said the changes reflect both policy compliance and enrollment realities. Supporters characterize the decision as protecting academic standards and public confidence in degree value.
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