Public records show former Texas A&M president Mark Welsh received an exit package exceeding $3.5 million after stepping down in September amid an academic‑freedom controversy. Welsh—who had a base salary of about $1.1 million plus retention and housing bonuses—pressed the board to pay out his contract through December 2028, the records indicate. Welsh’s abrupt departure followed a campus incident in which a student recorded an exchange with a faculty member about gender identity; Welsh initially defended the professor, then removed faculty and administrators for what he called lapses in academic responsibility. Political pressure and calls for resignation intensified after the episode. The payout and the sequence of administrative moves illuminate governance tensions on public university boards when controversies over classroom speech collide with political oversight. Trustees and state lawmakers face scrutiny over contract terms, severance decisions and whether executive compensation aligns with public expectations for accountability.