State lawmakers’ scrutiny of campus hiring and faculty speech intensified as the University of Arkansas withdrew a dean offer after Republican legislators objected to the candidate’s prior signatory status on a legal brief about transgender athletes. University officials said the move followed intense political pushback and public scrutiny. Meanwhile, dozens of faculty nationwide have faced discipline over online comments about a high‑profile campus killing; at least 26 cases reviewed by The Chronicle showed terminations, leaves and lawsuits that have widened the debate over free speech, due process and institutional responses to external pressure. Higher‑education leaders warned that rapid reactions to political and media pressure risk chilling faculty speech, undermining shared governance and inviting litigation that can further strain institutional finances and reputations.