News Related to Higher Education and LGBTQ+ Stakeholders

News Related to Higher Education and LGBTQIA+ Stakeholders

This is a collection of reports where issues related to sexual orientation and/or identity relative to administration of colleges and universities have made the news. It is important for administrators, faculty, staff, students and other NMU constituents to be aware of what is happening across the postsecondary education landscape so we are prepared to manage changes in social conditions and/or policy.

Highlighted Articles Page

Some news has greater potential implications for NMU students and/or the NMU community. The highlighted stories at this link are included in the comprehensive list, but are pulled out on a page to help folks at NMU find the most important and useful news reports with local implications.

Highlighted News Stories Related to Higher Education and LGBTQIA+

Recent Articles July - December 2025

A comprehensive list:

November 17, 2025

at The Daily Texan at https://thedailytexan.com/2025/11/17/professors-consider-leaving-ut-over-academic-freedom-concerns/

November 13, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2025/11/13/texas-am-requires-approval-courses-advocate-certain

Also:

Texas A&M System Sharply Restricts How Faculty Can Teach About Race and Gender

November 13, 2025

at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/texas-a-m-system-sharply-restricts-how-faculty-can-teach-about-race-and-gender

October 31, 2025

at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/new-emails-show-what-happened-before-a-texas-a-m-professors-firing

October 24, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/government/2025/10/24/how-universities-are-responding-trumps-compact

also:

Reading Between the Lines on Compact Responses
Universities that rejected the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education emphasized merit in their responses and highlighted core values in turning it down.

October 24, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2025/10/24/reading-between-lines-compact-responses

What Did the University of Virginia Agree To?
One legal expert told Inside Higher Ed that the flagship institution essentially agreed to be bound by what was nonbinding guidance.

October 24, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/government/2025/10/24/what-did-university-virginia-agree

October 23, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/curriculum/2025/10/23/university-houston-cancels-oppression-justice-course

October 22, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2025/10/22/unwritten-policies-sow-faculty-fears-are-they

October 6, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/debatable-ideas/2025/10/06/banned-books-week-time-repression

October 1, 2025

at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/can-you-say-transgender-in-a-texas-tech-classroom-the-answer-is-complicated

September 29, 2025

at Jezebel at www.jezebel.com/texas-university-system-bans-talking-about-trans-nonbinary-identities

September 24, 2025

at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/podcast/college-matters-from-the-chronicle/the-research-trump-hates

September 19, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2025/09/19/right-wing-doxing-campaign-endangers-faculty-and

September 18, 2025

at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/twitter-tirade-kent-state-professor-discrimination-lawsuit/760310/

September 18, 2025

at Higher Ed Dive at www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2025/09/18/texas-am-president-steps-down-under-pressure

September 12, 2025

at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/energy-department-withdraws-controversial-title-ix-athletics-direct-final-rule/760071/

September 11, 2025

at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/was-an-instructors-firing-a-violation-of-academic-freedom-or-an-example-of-academic-responsibility

September 10, 2025

at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/texas-am-fires-professor-after-viral-video-raising-free-speech-concerns/759774/

Also:

2 Texas A&M Administrators and Professor Out After Viral Video
Video circulated by Texas state representative shows student accusing English professor of teaching material related to gender identity and violating Trump’s executive orders. State officials pressured the university to fire the professor involved.

September 10, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2025/09/10/texas-am-professor-and-administrators-out-after

September 10, 2025

at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/students/safety/2025/09/10/turning-point-usa-founder-kirk-killed-utah-valley-u

January - June 2025 articles

August - December 2024 articles

January - July 2024 articles

July - December 2023 articles

January - June 2023 articles

August - December 2022 articles

January - July 2022 articles

All news reports are linked with URLs that are functional at the time of posting. Publications reporting on higher education are favored, but other periodicals are included as well. Some may require subscription to access the full text. NMU subscribes to The Chronicle of Education, so on-campus users should be able to open those links. Inside Higher Ed requires logging in after a few articles have been accessed; registration is free. For assistance accessing Chronicle or other articles, please contact Olson Library.

For questions, comments, or suggestions about this resource, contact Dan Cullen.

News Related to Higher Education and LGBTQIA+ Stakeholders

Highlighted Articles Page

Recent Articles July - December 2025

Professors consider leaving UT over academic freedom concerns

Texas A&M Requires Approval for Courses That ‘Advocate’ Certain Ideologies Many faculty members decried the new restrictions on race- and gender-related courses as an assault on academic freedom. Meanwhile, the board also discussed a once-per-semester systemwide course review process.

New Emails Show What Happened Before a Texas A&M Professor’s Firing

How Universities Are Responding to Trump’s Compact The document would require signatories to make sweeping changes to policies and practices. A number of institutions have already said no, and more responses are expected.

University of Houston Cancels ‘Confronting Oppression & Injustice’ Course The course’s axing is yet another example of curricular censorship at Texas public universities.

‘Because I Said So’: Universities Double Down on Unwritten Policies A growing number of institutions are censoring faculty speech and instruction through murky verbal directives that sow fear and confusion. Can they be enforced?

Banned Books Week in the Time of Repression We need to build an alliance that crosses all boundaries and realize that unless we all stand together to defend everyone against censorship, we will all be vulnerable.

Can You Say ‘Transgender’ in a Texas Tech Classroom? The Answer Is Complicated.

Texas University System Bans Talking About Trans & Nonbinary Identities “I’m emotionally shellshocked right now,” one professor told the New York Times.

The Research Trump Hates In a hyper-politicized environment, scientists who study vaccine hesitancy, gender identity, and climate change are seeing federal funding cut or under threat.

Doxing Campaign Endangers Faculty and Free Speech Dozens of faculty and staff have faced online harassment and threats for their comments on Charlie Kirk’s death. Some universities have disciplined employees in response to political pressure.

Kent State professor’s ‘Twitter tirade’ — not bias — caused opportunities to be revoked, court finds The professor lost out on a leadership role and lighter teaching load due to their online behavior, not because of retaliation, the three-judge panel ruled.

Texas A&M President Steps Down Under Pressure Mark Welsh resigned Thursday after state lawmakers accused the university of pushing “leftist DEI and transgender indoctrination” on his watch.

Energy Department withdraws controversial Title IX athletics rule The department’s efforts, which could have been a trial run for other agencies to set education policy, were stymied by public opposition.

Was an Instructor’s Firing a Violation of Academic Freedom? Or an Example of ‘Academic Responsibility’?

Texas A&M fires professor after viral video, raising free speech concerns The termination came the day after a state lawmaker shared the clip and accused the professor of perpetuating “DEI and LGBTQ indoctrination.”

Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk Killed at Utah Valley University Kirk was a driving force behind the modern conservative movement on college campuses. Utah’s governor called his death “a political assassination.”

Students Report Less Tolerance for Controversial Speakers Amid Trump administration attacks on free speech, more students—predominantly conservatives—say they don’t think controversial speakers should be given a platform on campus.

Va. AG says Roanoke College discriminated against female athletes by allowing trans swimmer on team School previously pledged to maintain fairness in sports, support LGBTQ+ community and student athletes

Judge strikes down Minnesota dual enrollment program’s ban on faith statements Two Christian colleges sued the state over the 2023 law, arguing it infringed on their religious freedom.

Education Department uses Skrmetti case to bolster Title IX policy Though the Supreme Court decision doesn’t directly involve education civil rights law, it’s being cited to exclude trans students from athletics and facilities.

UGA removes sexual orientation, gender identity from non-discrimination policy

Federal judge declines to block Alabama anti-DEI law The ruling deals a blow to the college faculty and student plaintiffs who argue the legislation violates free speech rights by restricting classroom instruction.

Gender Data Would Be Off-Limits Under Proposed NIH Policy

Iowa board reworks anti-DEI course policy proposal following pushback The original language sought to restrict the state’s three public universities from requiring classes that teach “substantial content that conveys DEI or CRT.”

Trump issues directives on college admissions data and research grants Together, the orders set up the administration to exert more control over who institutions enroll and which grants are funded.

Wagner College Reaches Agreement With ED on Trans Athletes

New Trump Administration Memo Tells Colleges Which DEI Efforts It Might Consider Illegal

Justice Department Declares DEI Unlawful The nine-page memo builds on the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Conservative Group Requests Materials for Over 70 UNC Courses The Oversight Project, founded by the Heritage Foundation, is using an open records request to search for terms like “DEI” and “gender identity.” Faculty say it encroaches on academic freedom.

22 new state laws censor higher ed, PEN America finds The bills, which were enacted during the first half of 2025, “have been just as devastating” as federal attacks on the sector, the free speech group said.

Can Right-Wing Students Deliver a ‘Death Blow’ to the Democratic Party? Times Higher Education got an earful from conservative students and Republican luminaries alike at this year's Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa.

College Employees in Kansas Can’t List Pronouns in Emails Lawmakers in Topeka, like those in some other state capitals, used a budget bill to order nonfinancial changes to public higher ed. DEI was the target this time.

Judge pauses Mississippi’s DEI ban at public colleges and schools Accounts from educators and students fearing discussion of certain topics signal “possible widespread suppression of speech,” the judge wrote.

Baylor Returns Research Grant Related to LGBTQ+ Issues

The Scientists Who Got Ghosted by the NIH Under Trump, their grant applications disappeared. What now?

Will the next Supreme Court term close the transgender athletic debate? A pair of cases could establish precedent on whether transgender student athletes can compete on teams aligned with their gender identity.

How Trump Uses the DOJ as Tool of ‘Fear-Mongering’ The Department of Justice has traditionally focused on regulatory compliance in academe, but now it’s weaponizing civil rights law to force ideological alignment, experts say.

Supreme Court to Hear Case Involving Trans College Athlete

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Cases Involving Transgender Athletes The court announced it would hear challenges to state laws barring transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.

Trump Admin. Reportedly Restores Federal Funding to Penn

Punished for Following the Rules President Trump’s campaign against accommodations for transgender students is targeting colleges that had tried to comply with federal law.

Penn Agrees to Trump’s Demands, Will Strip Trans Athlete’s Awards and Apologize The Education Department accused the Ivy League institution of violating Title IX by allowing a trans swimmer to compete on the women’s team.

January - June 2025 articles

August - December 2024 articles

January - July 2024 articles

July - December 2023 articles

January - June 2023 articles

August - December 2022 articles

January - July 2022 articles