LUBBOCK, Texas — This week, the governing board of the Texas Tech University System officially named its choice to become the 6th system chancellor.
On Tuesday, during a special-called meeting, the TTU System Board of Regents unanimously gave their final approval in choosing Brandon Creighton to succeed current Chancellor Dr. Tedd Mitchell, who is set to retire this year.
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Creighton, a name not highly familiar to West Texans but one that stands out in Texas politics, comes with a long resume of championing higher education issues.
With Creighton set to take the helm of the TTU System soon, here is what you need to know about the new chancellor.
What is Creighton’s background?
Brandon Creighton
Creighton is an eighth-generation Texan from Conroe — just north of Houston.
Creighton earned his bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin and his Juris Doctor degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law. He is also an attorney, real-estate developer and rancher in Texas and New Mexico.
What is Creighton’s political background?
Creighton began his legislative career in 2007, serving District 16 in the Texas House of Representatives.
In 2014, Creighton was sworn into the Texas Senate representing District 4, which includes parts of Montgomery, Harris, Chambers, Jefferson and Galveston counties.
During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, Creighton has served on the following committees:
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Chair of the Senate Education K-16 Committee.
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Vice chair of the Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting.
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Senate Committee on Business and Commerce member.
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Senate Committee on Finance member.
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Senate Committee on Jurisprudence member.
What is Creighton’s knowledge of Texas higher education?
Since the 86th Texas Legislative Session in 2019, Creighton has served as chair of the various iterations of the Senate Committee on Higher Education.
In 2023, Creighton authored Senate Bill 17, which effectively banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public universities, including Texas Tech.
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During that same year, he also co-authored Senate Bill 18 — a law that makes it easier for universities to revoke tenure, which provides job protections to professors so they can teach and research without fear of reprisal.
During the most recent legislative session earlier this year, Creighton helped deliver a key win for Gov. Greg Abbott through the passage of the school voucher program.
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He also authored Senate Bill 37 — which requires university system regents to review their schools’ curriculum periodically and directs them to consolidate or eliminate low-enrollment programs and limit the role of faculty senates on campus — something the Texas Tech regents have done in recent meetings.
Creighton also championed Senate Bill 2972, which limits bipartisan free speech protections passed in 2019 and allows the government to restrict when, where, and how Texans can express themselves on public college and university campuses.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Here’s what to know about new TTU system chancellor Brandon Creighton
