THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2026
VOLUME 100 ISSUE 10
REACTIONS
Tech critics decry policy as academic ‘straitjacket’ System’s memorandum changes faculty, students interactions in classroom By NOAH DAVILA Staff Writer
As Vaughan Hennen, Texas Tech interdisciplinary studies graduate student, accepted his university leadership award April 25, he used the moment not to celebrate himself, but to voice his concerns for the future of the institution honoring him. Standing before faculty and administrators, Hennen spoke about academic freedom, censorship and what he described as the growing culture of fear and uncertainty at Tech. Later, reflecting on the university’s expanding course review process, he summarized the atmosphere around him in blunt terms. “It’s meant to build chaos,” he said. Over the last year, Tech has become the venue of a conflict over curriculum and political oversight in public universities. What began as a state governance bill has developed into a system of curriculum review, program phase-outs and instructional restrictions. The changes have been framed by the Texas Tech System as a necessary process to comply with new state law regulating curriculum oversight by the governor-appointed Board of Regents members. The policies largely stem from Senate Bill 37, authored by now
Chancellor Brandon Creighton before his appointment on Nov. 19. “At the end of the day, we have to have a process,” Creighton told KCBD-TV in an interview after his appointment. “We have to review the curriculum to make sure that it’s relevant, that the rigor is there, and that it’s tied to the expectation of the highest degree of value.” Critics say these
expands the authority of governing boards over curriculum review, faculty governance and academic oversight at Texas’ public universities. Among its modifications, the law created general education review committees, increased board authority over faculty senates and established an Office of Excellence in Higher Education designed to investigate universities for
events have changed at a fundamental level how faculty teach and students learn. Passed during the 2025 Texas legislative session, Senate Bill 37
noncompliance with growing regulations. During his KCBD-TV interview, Creighton described the legislation as “the next iteration of addressing governance reforms” that would give university leadership “more say in traditional governance sense over upper level hiring and over course content.” Hennen said the legislation i m m e d i a t e l y reminded him of similar political fights he witnessed growing up in South Dakota. “These policies are not new,” Hennen said. “I knew what was coming.” While its authordescribed goal is to improve transparency and workforce readiness in state schools, critics like the American Association of University Professors have warned it is part of a
by weakening the independence of faculty. Those concerns only intensified Dec. 1, when Creighton issued a System-wide memorandum titled Course Content Oversight and Review. “This directive is the first step of the Board of Regents’ ongoing implementation of its statutory responsibility to review and oversee curriculum under Senate Bill 37,” the memo stated. The memo established a formal course content review process across the System, instructing faculty not to remove content that conflicted with new law, Board of Regents policy or directives from his office. It declared that only male and female sexes will be recognized in instructional content, and faculty will be required to submit course materials for review if they are related to gender identity and sexual orientation. Hennen said the rollout of the first memo created confusion almost immediately among students and faculty lacking clarity on how to comply with new standards. SEE REACTIONS, PG. 3
campaign to centralize political power over curriculum KAYCI SANDON/The Daily Toreador
CULINARY ARTS
‘It means love’: Violan builds community through food By MANDIE HANEY Staff Writer
JACOB LUJAN/The Daily Toreador
Nick Violan, a fourth-year psychological sciences major puts oil on carrots as he makes a French cuisine-inspired dish inside his apartment April 12, 2026.
In a small off-campus kitchen, the quiet clatter of pans and the aroma of spices mark where a Texas Tech senior creates an environment for care and connection to take shape. Nicholas (Nick) Violan, a fourthyear psychological sciences major and Lubbock native, said his cooking journey started out of necessity. “My first college apartment, sophomore year is what got me into cooking and, initially, it was because I had to,” he said. When Violan was younger, he
showed little interest in cooking. So his dad, Arnel Violan, said he was surprised by his newfound passion. “I didn’t expect that he was going to have interest in cooking. He loves to eat, but as he grew we were surprised to see him get into the cooking habit,” Arnel Violan said. That early necessity quickly turned into curiosity, shaped by online inspiration and the desire to create, Nick Violan said. “What got me into the art form of cooking was the media,” Nick Violan said. “I’d see stuff on Instagram and TikTok where people were making all these cool foods and I wanted to see if I could do it
at home.” That curiosity turned into acts of kindness and ultimately inspired him to pursue cooking in the future, Nick Violan said, reflecting on the first meal he successfully prepared and plated for his sister. “The first time I made short braised ribs for my sister was when I realized this is something I want to do forever,” Nick Violan said. “That act of giving and seeing her really happy to eat it and the effect it had on her I just was like ‘Oh man, I want to keep doing this for people.’” SEE CULINARY ARTS, PG. 2
SWITCHING RINGS
Tech cheerleader trades pom-poms for pro-wrestling By CLAIRE NEBLETT Staff Writer
After four years of serving as a Texas Tech cheerleader, senior Rylea Fields is looking to use her skills in the ring after receiving an Instagram message inviting her to try out for World Wrestling Entertainment. Despite having no prior experience in wrestling, Rylea Fields received the unexpected offer in April 2025. Her father, Ron Fields, from
Mansfield, wrestled and coached in the past, but Rylea Fields gravitated toward gymnastics, pageants and cheer. “I’m still in disbelief that I got an offer because whenever I saw the first message come through to me, I thought this had to be a joke,” Rylea Fields, a professional communications major from Mansfield, said. When Rylea Fields told her family about the offer, excitement was mixed with concern. She noted that her grandmother seemed the most
worried about her safety. While her dad shared the same concerns, he also recognized the opportunities ahead. “As a parent, after watching it on TV and seeing what they do, I don’t want her to get hurt,” Ron Fields said. “But it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that most people don’t get. We only go around this life one time, so experience all you can and try it.” SEE SWITCHING RINGS, PG. 2 SEE CHEER TO WWE, PG. 5
JACOB LUJAN/The Daily Toreador
Rylea Fields poses with her Texas Tech cheerleading national champion rings and medals at TexStar Athletics facility May 1, 2026.