Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation restricting how public colleges can require “DEI-CRT” coursework, directing the Kansas Board of Regents to define the term by late July and setting implementation for the 2028–29 academic year. The bill bars institutions from mandating such courses for any program, while allowing exemptions for programs clearly centered on racial, ethnic, or gender studies under criteria set by the Board of Regents. Civil liberties and free-speech advocates, including PEN America, warned the policy could constrain classroom discussion tied to race and gender. Separately, Texas A&M philosopher Martin Peterson resigned after he was barred from teaching a Plato excerpt in an introductory course under a Board of Regents policy restricting instruction on race and gender. Peterson’s account described repeated slide revisions and ongoing impacts on teaching beyond a single incident. For higher education leaders, the immediate operational challenge is compliance: redefining program requirements, revising syllabi, and managing faculty governance friction while ensuring academic freedom and legal exposure are addressed.