Faculty governance and hiring practices are at the center of growing litigation. A Texas A&M professor who was fired after a classroom controversy over gender identity filed a federal suit alleging violations of First Amendment and due‑process rights. Separately, a plaintiff challenged Cornell University claiming the school excluded white candidates from a faculty search, alleging violations of Title VII; the suit was filed with backing from a conservative policy group. These legal actions underscore rising legal scrutiny over curricular content, diversity practices and the boundary between academic freedom and institutional compliance with political directives.