The University of Texas System board approved new rules that make it easier for campuses to eliminate programs and cut faculty positions, with less faculty review than under prior governance processes. Under the revised policy, a UT institution’s chief academic officer can recommend program and position elimination using criteria set by the president, and appeals are narrowed. The rules allow presidents to cut an entire program without an appeal when standard review procedures are not viable, including when new federal or state requirements pose a “material risk to institutional compliance.” Tenured faculty previously had greater participation in reviews overseeing program eliminations, according to the reporting. The changes come amid broader concerns about academic freedom in Texas public higher education, where governance bodies have been shifted to advisory-only roles and faculty have faced politicized firings. UT leaders say decisions will better reflect compliance and institutional prioritization as states and federal obligations evolve.