Texas State University and Swarthmore College implement faculty policy changes

Texas State University is establishing a task force to review professor workload policies as the institution maintains its R1 research status. Vice President of Research Shreekanth Mandayam noted that the university is focusing on gradual adjustments to balance research, teaching, and service. Potential changes include increased class sizes, fewer course offerings during research assignments, and expanded opportunities for graduate teaching assistants. For the 2026 fiscal year, the university reported $194.7 million in research expenditures and 90 research-based PhD graduates.

At Swarthmore College, faculty members voted to revise guidelines for allocating faculty positions. The revisions included removing specific questions regarding diversity from the requirements for departments seeking new tenure lines. In their place, new questions regarding plans to support newly hired faculty were added. The Committee on Educational Procedures, which oversees these directives, stated the guidelines aim to inform long-range curricular and strategic planning efforts.