Pressure from Above: When Governors, Regents, or Deans Mess with Your Curriculum (2024–25 Department Chairs Webinar Series)

These seminars are organized by AHA staff in collaboration with Stephanie Cole (Univ. of Texas at Arlington) and Brid Nicholson (Kean Univ.).

Pressure from Above: When Governors, Regents, or Deans Mess with Your Curriculum

June 13, 2025

Stephanie Cole (Univ. of Texas at Arlington), Scott Levi (Ohio State Univ.), Brid Nicholson (Kean Univ.), and Traci Brynne Voyles (North Carolina State Univ.)

Many history department chairs are facing rapidly shifting pressure to change, eliminate, or retitle courses. A topic on everyone’s mind is managing state- or institutional-level efforts to influence history curricula. Different things are happening in different places, and this quick, hour-long event will begin with department chairs from Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, and New Jersey briefly sharing their experiences. Afterwards, participants will work in smaller groups to share their particular situations and solutions. How should you coach faculty in your program? Are subtle pushbacks possible? This workshop is part of an online series providing a dedicated space for history department chairs to share ideas. For information about how to register, write to jpurcell@historians.org.