Overview

• Board Chair Cody Campbell said he expects a unanimous vote to designate the Conroe Republican as the lone finalist, and Vice Chair Dustin Womble and House Speaker Dustin Burrows publicly backed the choice.
• Creighton authored SB 17 banning DEI offices at public universities, SB 37 expanding governor-appointed regents’ authority and curbing faculty influence, and SB 2972 regulating campus protests.
• The Texas Conference of the AAUP warned that his record raises concerns about academic freedom and shared governance.
• Creighton helped create the Texas University Fund, a $3.9 billion endowment approved by voters in 2023 that directs substantial funding to Texas Tech and other emerging research universities.
• If the board finalizes his selection after the statutory waiting period, he would need to vacate his Senate seat, enabling Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special election.