Following a court-ordered due process hearing, Texas State University administration made the decision to terminate Associate History Professor Thomas Alter on Oct. 13.
“After a thorough review of Dr. Alter’s conduct and the information provided during his due process hearing, President Damphousse has notified Dr. Alter that his employment at Texas State University is terminated, effective immediately,” Vice President for Marketing and Communications Sandra Pantlik wrote in an email to The Star. “There will be no further comment on this matter at this time.”
Alter was first terminated on Wednesday, Sept. 10, after videos of him speaking at an online socialism convention were published online. Texas State President Kelly Damphousse accused Alter of “conduct that advocates for inciting violence.” Alter was reinstated, pending a due process hearing, following a temporary restraining order issued by 483rd District Judge Alicia Key on Friday, Sept. 26.
Alter said he received his termination notice from his attorney at 3:10 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 13. He provided his termination letter to The Star.
“As I explained in this decision, I find that your remarks on Sept. 7, 2025 constitute serious professional or personal misconduct that warrant summary dismissal,” Damphousse wrote in the dismissal letter.
In the letter Damphousse said Alter spoke at the conference as a representative of the university and not in a personal capacity.
“You discussed your employment with Texas State University, the university’s role in training future public school teachers, and your role, specifically, in teaching education majors, while promoting your vision for the recruitment of Americans into a ‘Revolutionary Socialist Party’ with the stated goal of overthrowing the United States government,” Damphousse wrote in Alter’s termination letter.
Alter sent his response to his termination to The Star.
“To be clear, my termination is part of a broader political attack being carried out by the authoritarian far-right to crush democracy and democratic institutions in the United States in general and Texas in particular,” Alter wrote in his statement. “But the charges leveled against me by the Texas State University administration do not stand up to the facts; I have truth on my side and I look forward to my day in court.”
Alter sued Texas State on Sept. 16, after his initial termination. In the lawsuit he is asking to be reinstated, for backpay, damages and a “declaration that Defendants’ actions violated the due process and free speech.” The next hearing in Alter’s court case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 14.
According to another document Alter sent to The Star, seven professional organizations, including ones from other countries, and several Texas State history graduate students wrote in support of Alter prior to his due process hearing.
The Texas State Employees Union (TSEU), which Alter is a member of, released a statement less than an hour after Alter’s termination.
“In a deeply troubling move that strikes at the heart of the First Amendment, Damphousse has upheld the termination of Dr. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, after a coerced and fundamentally flawed due process hearing,” TSEU wrote in a statement emailed to The Star.
Just hours before the decision was released, Damphousse sent out a statement to staff and faculty attempting to address their concerns about events such as Alter’s termination. The statement was released after Damphousse was questioned by faculty at the Oct. 8 Senate Advisory Group meeting on the state of due process.
During that meeting, Damphousse promised due process still exists, saying “nothing has changed,” about due process on campus.
“The contrast between Damphousse’s rhetoric and his actions is stark. While he calls on faculty and staff to ‘move forward’ and trust in the administration’s judgment, his refusal to defend free speech or engage transparently on this issue undermines the very trust he says he wishes to rebuild,” TSEU wrote.
In its statement, TSEU said the decision comes amid “intensifying political pressure” aimed at Texas universities to “fall in line with partisan agendas hostile to free speech.”
“This pattern raises serious questions about whether President Damphousse’s choices reflect his own views on free expression, or if this decision is part of an effort to appease political forces that punish campus leaders who act otherwise,” TSEU wrote.
According to Damphousse’s letter, Alter can appeal his termination to the Texas State University System. Alter has three days to file his appeal.
This is a developing story. The University Star will update as information becomes available.
