Pending finalization of his hire as an adjunct for Texas State, Former U.S. Representative and presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s agreed-upon salary during the spring 2021 semester will be $7,500, the university told The University Star.
O’Rourke’s status as a Texas State faculty member is not yet official, as the hiring process is not complete. Texas State’s Political Science Department says the hiring process is proceeding as expected, as the university processes the paperwork.
The Star learned of O’Rourke’s prospective appointment to the political science department in mid-October following confirmation from Political Science Chair Ken Grasso. O’Rourke is expected to teach Texas Politics, PS 4325, an elective class he chose after approaching the university over the possibility of teaching and discussing potential classes with Grasso.
The modality of the class will depend on the campus COVID-19 situation, but his class size will remain small to increase interaction with students, Grasso said. The class will also be team-taught with Dr. Sherri Mora, the associate chair of the political science department.
Additionally, the department states a second section of the Texas Politics class will be taught by Vance McMahan, a former Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives under President George W. Bush, who also appointed McMahan to the office of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
O’Rourke served as District 16 State Representative from 2013 to 2019, after a six-year tenure on the El Paso City Council from 2005 to 2011. In 2018, O’Rourke ran against Sen. Ted Cruz for a spot in the U.S. Senate, losing a closely contested and widely covered election. O’Rourke also sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2019 but suspended his campaign in that same year.