He Put Professors on a Shorter Leash

Dan Patrick's Capitol has a favorite hobby: telling local institutions that Austin knows best.

Senate Bill 18 is a clean receipt. Texas Legislature Online describes it as "relating to the tenure and employment of faculty members at certain public institutions of higher education." The page lists the bill as effective on September 1, 2023.

The anti-elite routine gets very managerial

Patrick's political brand loves to swing at "elites." But SB 18 was not a joke on cable news. It was state law aimed at how public universities handle tenure and faculty employment.

That matters because Texas universities are not props. They train doctors, engineers, teachers, nurses, researchers, and the boring-but-essential experts every economy eventually needs.

Control first, consequences later

There is a serious conservative argument for accountability in higher education. There is also a very Dan Patrick way to do it: centralize power, call it reform, and dare everyone else to look unpatriotic for asking whether micromanaging campuses from Austin is wise.

SB 18's caption does not require guesswork. The state reached into tenure and employment at public higher-ed institutions. That is the record.

Texas needs grown-up oversight, not a gavel hobby

Texans can demand accountable universities without rewarding politicians who treat every institution as another stage for dominance politics.

Vikki Goodwin is the alternative for voters who are tired of Dan Patrick turning serious policy into another control panel with his name on it.