Texas A&M announced it will not reinstate Melissa McCoul, the instructor dismissed after a viral classroom confrontation over a gender‑identity lesson. The system’s vice chancellor for academic affairs said the dismissal was for cause despite a faculty panel earlier finding McCoul’s academic freedom was violated and due‑process breached; the instructor plans legal action. At Harvard and other elite campuses, essays and reporting contend a broader “anti‑woke” shift is reshaping faculty governance and campus debate. The twin developments highlight growing tension between administrative decision‑making, faculty governance bodies and external political pressure — an operational and reputational challenge for institutions.