Austin, Texas — Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) today passed Senate Bill 18 with bipartisan support in the Texas Senate. He offered the following statement:

"Texas colleges and universities conduct groundbreaking research and provide quality instruction every day. While shepherding this legislation through the process, I have spoken with professors across the state who work diligently for their students–without tenure. I have spoken to non-tenured professors who are conducting groundbreaking research. Scholars and scientists are attracted to Texas because our institutions encourage innovation and excellence, and it is disrespectful and disingenuous to say academics pursue this work because of guaranteed lifetime employment at taxpayer expense. The opponents of this bill need to look no further than M.D. Anderson Cancer Center– a world-renowned and has advanced life-saving cancer treatments, yet shifted from traditional, lifetime tenure since 1975– nearly 50 years ago.

"Senate Bill 18 eliminates the costly, unnecessary and antiquated burden of tenure at Texas public colleges and universities–opening up opportunities for a new era of competition, innovation and excellence in Texas higher education. This legislation will be a model for the rest of the nation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get SB 18 signed into law."

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