Call to Action on SB 37

Call to Action on SB 37

Please take action to ask your legislators to vote against SB 37 that will limit faculty’s ability to teach about race, history and inequality. This bill is much like the Florida Stop the Woke bill that was passed a few years ago.

They would set up a mechanism that people could file complaints about course content, ask institutions to monitor the content of courses and have a mechanism to remove programs that are not “foundational”.

This is bad for Texas Tech, bad for faculty, and politicizes higher education.

Please consider taking some of the actions listed below.

What is SB 37?

Texas Senate approves bill to reshape higher ed courses | The Texas Tribune

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SB 37: What’s Next?

As of May 12, 2025, SB 37 is pending in the House Committee on Higher Education.

Here are E-Actions you can take:

• Click to Email House Higher Ed Comm Members: SB 37 Email Campaign
• Click to Call and Email Your District Representative: Click-To-Call SB 37

Ask Friends, Family, and Colleagues in these Districts to Contact their Rep

Reach out to people in the following areas of Texas. The following representatives on the House Higher Ed Comm. are asking to hear more feedback on SB 37 from people in their districts.  Please be as polite and professional as possible when talking with them.

• Abilene — Rep. Stan Lambert (R) House District 71
  (512) 463-9718 and ask for Robyn Wertheim, District Director.
  In district: Abilene Christian University, Cisco College, Hardin-Simmons University, McMurry University, Ranger College.
  Email: Stan.Lambert@house.texas.gov

• Atlanta, Paris & Texarkana — Rep. Gary VanDeaver (R) House District 1
  (512) 463-0692 and ask for Erin Taravella (BA & MA Texas A&M) Policy Analyst.
  In district: Northeast Texas Community College, Paris Junior College, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texarkana College.
  Email: Gary.VanDeaver@house.texas.gov

• Georgetown — Rep. Terry Wilson (R) House District 20
  (512) 463-0782 and ask for Andrew Harkey, Committee Clerk.
  (512) 463-0309 and ask for staff member handling higher ed.
  In district: Austin Community College (Round Rock), Southwestern University, Texas A&M University Central Texas, Texas State Technical College, Texas State University (Round Rock).
  Email: Terry.Wilson@house.texas.gov

• Stafford & Sugar Land — Rep. Suleman Lalani, MD (D) House District 76
  (512) 463-0596 and ask for Omar Gamboa (BA UT Austin & now in the LBJ School) Educational Liaison.
  In district:Houston Community College, University of Houston at Sugar Land, North American University, and Wharton County Junior College Sugar Land Campus.
  Email: Suleman.Lalani@house.texas.gov

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How to Reach out to Colleagues

If you’re using work email addresses at a public community college, university, or health institution, you’ll need to be careful not to take a stance for or against the bill.  You can send factual info about SB 37 (e.g. pulled from our blog post) and ask people to contact you from their personal email address to your personal email address for follow-up.  Here are several news stories you could include:

• “Why university professors say Texas Senate Bill 37 would be disastrous for higher education”,Lily Kepner, Austin American-Statesman, May 7, 2025.

• “Texas Senate to consider bill that could reshape how history and race are taught in state universities“,Jessica Priest, Texas Tribune, April 10, 2025

• “Here’s why Professors Say Faculty Senates Are Essential in Higher Ed“,Lily Kepner, Austin American-Statesman, March 31, 2025.

• “Texas bill would increase oversight of universities’ hiring, curriculum and compliance“, Jessica Priest, Texas Tribune, March 13, 2025

Here’s more info on SB 37:

• Oppose SB 37 to keep colleges & universities competitive — actions to take against SB 37

• SB 37 Heard in House Higher Education Committee — summary of the May 6th hearing with clips of five of the in-person testimonies.

• SB 37: Undue Big-Government Intrusion into Public Higher Ed — talking points refined by the testimony at the May 6th hearing

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Email and call the Calendars committee:

We want to apply pressure, but don’t want to draw too much attention just yet. Please reach out to your representative on the committee.

Representative	Email	Phone #
Carl Tepper (R)	carl.tepper@house.texas.gov	512-463-0676

Mobilization: SB 37 Rally Day