Texas University Boards to Turn Over in 2027
Families with students at public universities will see new regents after the governor takes office in January.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Administration
Terms of 11 voting regents at Texas public university systems will expire in the weeks after January 2027, when Gina Hinojosa is scheduled to take office as governor. Regents are appointed by the governor and must be confirmed by the state senate, so the turnover will reshape the boards that govern public universities across the state.
Why it matters
Regents set policy for public universities, from tuition and budgets to campus leadership, so a wholesale change in board membership can shift those decisions for families paying tuition and planning around college. The timing is set by the calendar of regent terms rather than by any single crisis, and the composition of the boards will depend on who wins the governor's race.
Eleven voting regents across Texas public university systems have terms that expire in the weeks after January 2027. Two Texas Tech University System regents, Cody Campbell and Arcilia Acosta, have terms running through January 31, 2027.
The players
Cody Campbell
A Texas Tech University System regent whose term runs through January 31, 2027, who spoke at a Trump rally in Lubbock and warned that the board could change if Governor Abbott loses.
Gina Hinojosa
The Democratic candidate scheduled to take office as Texas governor in January 2027, who will make the next round of regent appointments.
Governor Abbott
The current Texas governor, whose appointments shape public university boards and who appointed Pat Gordon to the Texas Transportation Commission.
The details
Texas public university boards are filled by gubernatorial appointment, and each appointee must be confirmed by the state senate before taking a seat. When a board member's term ends, the seat is filled through that same appointment and confirmation process. The Texas Tech board also has a vacancy created when Pat Gordon resigned in February, and Governor Abbott appointed Gordon to the Texas Transportation Commission.
Timeline
February: Pat Gordon resigned from the Texas Tech regents board.
October 27: Cody Campbell made remarks about the board's future composition.
January: Gina Hinojosa is scheduled to take office as Texas governor.
January 31, 2027: Campbell and Acosta's Texas Tech regent terms end.
Early 2027: Regent terms expire at the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas State systems.
The Home Front
Board turnover at Texas public universities follows the appointment-and-confirmation process that governs these boards under state law. For families, the practical effect is that tuition and campus policy decisions made by these boards can change when a new governor reshapes their membership.
If you have a child heading toward a Texas public university, watch for new board appointments after the governor takes office, since these boards set policy on tuition and campus rules. Families planning ahead for enrollment can check their school's board composition and any announced appointments as the 2027 turnover approaches.
The takeaway
Texas public university boards will change in early 2027 as a new governor takes office, so the people making tuition and campus decisions may look different by spring. Families with students in or near the Texas public university systems should keep track of gubernatorial appointments and state senate confirmations to see who will be governing their school.
What happens next
Regent terms at the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas State systems expire in early 2027, and Campbell and Acosta's Texas Tech terms end on January 31, 2027.
Further reading
For more on how university leadership decisions are made, explore the Administration section.
