At its Nov. 20 quarterly meeting, the Texas State University System (TSUS) Board of Regents unanimously upheld the termination of former associate history professor Thomas Alter.
Alter was terminated on Sept. 10, but was reinstated after a court ruled that his initial firing violated his due process rights. Alter was fired again on Oct. 13 after a due process hearing. After his second termination, he filed an appeal that was first heard by a TSUS subcommittee on Nov. 10.
“Having considered the record pertaining to this personnel matter and the university president’s decision to summarily dismiss Dr Alter, the board affirms President Damphousse’s decision to summarily dismiss Dr Thomas Alter and revoke his tenure,” Regent Stephen Lee wrote.
In a statement emailed to The Star, Texas State Employees Union President Ilesa Daniels Ross characterized the decision as part of a political attack against educators. Alter is a member of the union.
“The Board of Regents’ decision today is disappointing, but it is unfortunately predictable. They are political loyalists handpicked by the Governor,” Ross said in the statement. “That means we get outcomes that serve political agendas rather [than] the students of Texas who rely on our public universities or the workers that they employ.”
The decision on Alter’s appeal comes after a group called The Committee to Defend Tom Alter (CDTA) led a letter campaign that sent over 6,000 letters supporting Alter.
In a statement sent to The Star, the CDTA echoed Ross’ sentiment, calling the decision an attack on free speech and democratic rights everywhere.
“Texas State President Kelly Damphousse is carrying out a politically motivated attack on a socialist and a union member,” CDTA wrote in its statement. “Damphousse’s language in his public firing of Alter of inciting violence and criminal activity mirrors the language used by Trump and other far-right politicians around the world in going after left-wing and even liberal organizations.”
In October Gov. Greg Abbott wrote in a post on X that Texas was targeting university faculty and administrators for ideological reasons.
“Texas is targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation,” Abbott wrote in the post. “We must end indoctrination and return to education fundamentals at all levels of education.”
The CDTA said that membership of unions such as TSEU and the Association for American University Professors has more than doubled since Alter’s original termination.
Alter sued Texas State over his termination. In the lawsuit, Alter is seeking back pay, front pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages, attorney’s fees and a “declaration that Defendants’ actions violated the due process and free speech.” His lawsuit was put on hold following his temporary reinstatement, but now will move forward.
No hearing dates are currently scheduled for Alter’s lawsuit.
