Texas A&M University president Katherine Banks resigned last week after a controversy arose that involved her school’s attempt to hire a journalism professor.
Banks’ decision came after the school’s faculty senate voted to investigate the attempt to hire a journalist and tenured UT professor Kathleen McElroy which was first announced and then changed.
The school allegedly changed the job offer several times, ultimately leading to McElroy rejecting the subsequent offers.
McElroy told the Texas Tribune that the tenured job offer was walked back and changed because of her work on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
“I’m being judged by race, maybe gender,” McElroy said.
Banks shared a statement while announcing her resignation to the Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System.
“The recent challenges regarding Dr. McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately,” Banks said in the statement. “The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.”
McElroy is African-American and had previously worked at the New York Times.
President Banks denied knowing about the changes but says she takes responsibility for a flawed hiring process.
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