UH Faculty Asked to Sign ‘No Indoctrination’ Attestations as Pushback Mounts

Overview

• College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences dean Dan O’Connor requested signatures by Feb. 10 on a memo affirming courses teach critical thinking and do not indoctrinate students.
• O’Connor told faculty he has no evidence of indoctrination and said non-signers would not be punished, though their syllabi would be reviewed.
• The UH AAUP chapter labeled the requests overcompliance with Senate Bill 37, urged deans to rescind them, and offered suggested conscientious‑objector language.
• Houston Public Media reported a similar certification in the Honors College, where Dean Heidi Appel set a Feb. 13 deadline for professors to confirm course reviews.
• The signature drives follow President Renu Khator’s November directive to review titles, syllabi and content, even as SB 37 focuses on core curriculum reviews and does not require anti‑indoctrination pledges.