Texas professor ousted from admin role over "ideological differences"
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A University of Texas professor says he was dismissed from his administrative post overseeing university-wide academic affairs over what he described as "ideological differences."
Why it matters: The ousting comes amid a critical dispute within academia about how to rebuild confidence in higher education in a politically polarized moment.
What they're saying: In September, "the leadership at the University of Texas dismissed me from my academic administration role due to ideological differences," Art Markman, a tenured psychology professor, wrote on LinkedIn on Tuesday.
- Markman, who had served as UT's senior vice provost for academic affairs, declined to be interviewed.
- He is perhaps best known outside the university as the co-host of "Two Guys on Your Head," a public radio podcast about human behavior and decision-making.
- Markman "always represented to me the very best of being an academic —focusing on students, love of teaching, passion for excellence, looking to the future, and truly maximizing the potential of a university to inspire to greatness," Elizabeth Keating, a UT professor of linguistic anthropology, wrote on LinkedIn in response to his post.
The other side: University officials did not respond to an Axios interview request about Markman's dismissal.
Between the lines: UT is in a moment of transition, with a newly minted president and provost, and a governor-appointed UT System Board of Regents that has signaled zeal for the Trump administration's efforts to reshape higher education.
- Earlier this month, the top official overseeing UT welcomed the White House's conservative-minded demands on education administration in exchange for federal funding preferences.
The big picture: Two competing camps have emerged over how to win back confidence in higher education.
- Some administrators argue for an emphasis on efforts to communicate the work faculty do to impart critical thinking skills among their students — something Markman himself had pressed.
- Framing universities as temples of "wokeness," some Republicans — and particularly the Trump administration — are pushing to change what is taught in classrooms.
- In a recent essay in National Affairs, a journal of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, new UT provost William Inboden prescribed more emphasis on Western civilization and a classical liberal arts curriculum as ways to restore public trust in universities.
What we're watching: UT's new president, Jim Davis, will deliver his first state of the university address on Oct. 22.