The Texas Faculty Association
The
TFA NEWS
May 24, 2022
The Texas Faculty Association (TFA) today urged Texas A&M and other universities to protect and expand tenure for librarians. The request follows a report (seek link below) that a consulting firm has recommended that the Texas A&M University System ask librarians to relinquish tenure or transfer to another academic department to keep it.
February 8, 2022
Texas Faculty Association President Pat Heintzelman released the following statement:
The Texas Faculty Association deplores the Collin College firing of Michael Phillips, the fourth professor in the past year whose contract was not renewed simply because faculty members chose to exercise their First Amendment right of free speech, including comments about safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 29, 2021
This members-only application is for a Texas Faculty Association Fellowship or Local Chapter Recruitment Funds.
March 3, 2021
Faculty group urges governor to keep mask mandate in place for university campuses
The Texas Faculty Association today urged Gov. Greg Abbott to listen to health experts and keep the statewide mask mandate in place, at least for college and university campuses.
November 6, 2020
Press release: Professor and Texas Faculty Association leader elected to SBOE
Rebecca Bell-Metereau, a Democrat who won an open seat formerly held by a Republican on the State Board of Education in this week’s election, is a professor at Texas State University in San Marcos and a board member of the Texas Faculty Association.
September 22, 2020
Press release: Faculty group urges governor to require universities to publicly report COVID cases on campuses
The Texas Faculty Association (TFA) today urged Gov. Greg Abbott to use his emergency powers to order Texas colleges and universities to publicly report each week the numbers of positive COVID-19 tests and deaths among faculty, staff and students at each university campus or facility.
July 2020
DACA Statement
According to the Dallas Morning News, within Texas there are estimated to be 141,000 DACA recipients representing 6.1 billion dollars of annual economic activity. Many of these individuals are our colleagues, co-workers, and friends. Many of these individuals are our hard working students. As educators we are primarily focused on assuring the human right of educational access for all Texas students. As faculty advocates we are passionate about protecting the rights of our community members. As proud Texans we support those who are educated here, obey our laws, pay required taxes, and contribute as members of our communities.
The Texas Faculty Association then calls upon our National and State leadership to make DACA considerations an immediate legislative item and seek to create a legal pathway for DACA recipients to remain within their vital roles in our communities. Texas has always been proud of the dreamers who founded our state. We support the DREAMERS in our midst today. You are home and we are proud to have you.
February 21, 2022
Patrick said a recent resolution adopted by faculty at UT Austin about its academic freedom is another signal the “woke left” has gone too far.
November 9, 2021
During the pandemic, some professors have criticized the college system administration for its handling of COVID-19 cases and campus health and safety.
May 18, 2021
Texas faculty group urges governor to allow colleges and universities to continue imposing mask requirements
Texas Faculty Association President Pat Heintzelman released the following statement: The Texas Faculty Association urges Gov. Greg Abbott to reconsider his order ending mask requirements in government facilities, including universities.
February 1, 2021
Texas Faculty Association outraged over Collin College firings; exploring legal options
The Texas Faculty Association is outraged that Collin College has fired two of its valued faculty members for exercising their First Amendment rights during a health emergency.
October 28, 2020
Press release: Faculty group urges halt to in-person fall graduation ceremonies
The Texas Faculty Association today urged Gov. Greg Abbott to instruct state university governing boards to cancel or postpone fall graduation ceremonies or hold virtual graduation events.
August 13, 2020
The Texas Faculty Association (TFA) today called on Texas colleges and universities to adopt – and enforce – strict safety standards as campuses reopen for the fall semester.
February 18, 2022
Texas Faculty Association President Pat Heintzelman released the following statement:
Despite what Dan Patrick apparently thinks, most people don’t think like him, especially people who value education. Banning critical race theory from universities and limiting tenure are attacks on academic freedom, which is an important part of the process of helping students develop the critical thinking skills they will need for future success.
September 29, 2021
Funded by NEA/TSTA/TFA, Suzanne Jones has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Neil Matkin, Toni Jenkins, and Collin College to protect her rights to free expression and association, her rights to due process, and her rights to due course of law.
April 26, 2021
Texas Faculty Association urges budget conferees to add another $1.2 billion for higher education to final appropriations bill
Texas Faculty Association President Pat Heintzelman released the following statement: The Texas Faculty Association calls on the legislative budget conferees to add another $1.2 billion
November 12, 2020
Despite rising COVID-19 cases, universities including Texas Tech and Texas A&M are planning in-person fall graduations
Multiple Texas universities are planning in-person graduation ceremonies this December, despite the fact that the state’s daily COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations are higher today than they were in May when most universities first scrambled to cancel the celebratory events.
October 23, 2020
TFA calls on Collin College to support and to protect faculty's freedom of speech
Representing members across the state, the Texas Faculty Association expresses concern about the failure of
Collin College to support and to protect faculty’s right to freedom of speech.
July 28, 2020
The Texas Faculty Association today urged Gov. Greg Abbott to instruct the governing boards of all state-supported universities to delay opening campuses to in-person instruction, labs and other student activities until at least Sept. 8. The association also called on community colleges and private universities in Texas to delay opening their campuses until the same date.