A Texas A&M professor who was fired by the president last week has hired a lawyer and is appealing the termination.
The president fired Dr. Melissa McCoul for failing to teach within the course description.
McCoul’s lawyer, Amanda Reichek, issued a statement saying said the professor taught according to course and catalog descriptions.
Reichek also said McCoul taught successfully for many years and without challenge.
Reichek said McCoul was fired in violation of her constitutional rights, contractual rights, and the academic freedom that was once the hallmark of Texas higher education.
In addition to the appeal, McCoul is exploring other legal options.
Statement issued by Amanda Reichek, the attorney representing Dr. Melanie McCoul:
Dr. Melissa McCoul was a highly regarded Senior Lecturer at Texas A&M University with over a decade of teaching experience under her belt, when she was summarily terminated on September 9, 2025.
Her notice of termination alleges that she was “instructed on numerous occasions to change the course content to align with the catalog description and the course description that was originally submitted and approved” yet failed to do so.
However, Professor McCoul’s course content was entirely consistent with the catalog and course description, and she was never instructed to change her course content in any way, shape, or form.
In fact, Dr. McCoul taught this course and others like it for many years, successfully and without challenge. Instead, Dr. McCoul was fired in violation of her constitutional rights, contractual rights, and the academic freedom that was once the hallmark of Texas higher education.
She has appealed her termination and is exploring further legal action.
