Texas A&M president Katherine Banks leaves over hiring backlash

The head of Texas A&M University has suddenly left her role amid "negative press" surrounding the hiring of a journalism professor.

President Katherine Banks said she took responsibility for the "flawed hiring process" involving former New York Times editor Kathleen McElroy.

Dr McElroy, who is black, had an original offer of a tenured position downgraded to a one-year job.

Dr Banks said Dr McElroy had fallen victim to "anti-woke hysteria".

And Dr McElroy has suggested that her race and gender may have prompted the backlash.

The controversy comes amid growing calls from some Republican lawmakers to stop or ban diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes at universities.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has already signed a bill to dismantle DEI programmes at state-funded public universities, including Texas A&M.

Dr McElroy, a 20-year veteran of The New York Times, has previously conducted research on the role race plays in the media.

Texas A&M had originally hired her on a tenured track to revive the school's journalism programme, which was later changed to a five-year and ultimately a one-year offer. She declined the offer.

The initial move to hire her was reportedly met with criticism from some staff members and members of the school's alumni network.

In a resignation letter, Dr Banks said that "negative press" over Dr McElroy's job had "become a distraction" at Texas A&M, which has a student body of about 70,000.

"The recent challenges regarding Dr McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately," she wrote.

A university statement added that Dr Banks suggested to colleagues Dr McElroy had fallen victim to "anti-woke hysteria" and "outside interference" in the hiring process.

Dr Banks also told colleagues she was not involved in changing the job offer for Dr McElroy.

Dr McElroy told the Texas Tribune earlier this month she felt "damaged" by the controversy, and that: "I'm being judged by race, maybe gender. And I don't think other folks would face the same bars or challenges."

Across the US, schools, institutions, and brands have come under intense criticism from conservative lawmakers for going "woke", a term used by some commentators and politicians as a pejorative umbrella covering a variety of topics, from climate change to support for minorities.

In the case of Dr McElroy, the Rudder Association - a collection of current and former Texas A&M students and staff - said it had concerns that, in hiring Dr McElroy, the university was not embracing "egalitarian and merit-based traditions" and was instead turning towards the "divisive ideology of identity politics". It objected to claims that alumni, donors and taxpayers constitute "outside influence".

Dr Banks is the second major university president to resign this week following Stanford University's Marc Tessier-Lavigne, who announced plans to leave after an independent review found "serious flaws" in academic papers in which he was involved. Another senior US university figure was fired from his role this month after allegations of a toxic culture within Northwestern University's football team.