By Nicholas Gutteridge, The Texas Tribune.

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Friday appointed former Republican state legislator Tommy Williams to lead Texas A&M University while they find someone to replace former president Mark A. Welsh III, who resigned last month.

Williams, a 1978 Texas A&M alum, spent more than a decade in the Texas Legislature, worked as the system’s top government relations official and advised Gov. Greg Abbott on fiscal matters before retiring in 2019.

His appointment follows several turbulent weeks at Texas A&M that came after state Rep. Brian Harrison posted a video on X of a student confronting a professor over gender-identity content in a children’s literature course.

In another video shared by Harrison, Welsh can be heard telling the student he wouldn’t fire the professor, Melissa McCoul. But as the story went viral, Welsh fired McCoul, and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and head of the English department were demoted. Welsh resigned on Sept. 19 amid increasing political pressure over his handling of the student’s complaints and the video’s fallout.

James R. Hallmark has been serving as Texas A&M’s acting president following Welsh’s retirement.

Williams’ appointment continues a state trend of university officials turning to current and former politicians to lead institutions of higher education rather than academics. The Texas Tech University System’s regents recently named Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton chancellor, the University of Texas System in August named former Republican lawmaker John Zerwas for the system’s top job, and the Texas A&M system selected former comptroller Glenn Hegar to succeed retiring chancellor John Sharp earlier this year.

The turmoil over the Texas A&M student’s video, Welsh’s retirement and the political interference that led up to it have also sparked a firestorm in Texas higher education. Multiple university systems have announced reviews or audits of their academic offerings, which critics have blasted as a threat to academic freedom.

Williams, who worked as a banker before entering politics, joined the Texas House of Representatives in 1997. He served three terms until voters sent him to the Texas Senate in 2003.

As a senator, Williams chaired the Administration Committee, the Transportation and Homeland Security Committee and the Finance Committee. He resigned in 2013 to become the vice chancellor for federal and state relations of the Texas A&M University System.

In 2017, Williams left to join Abbott’s office as a senior adviser for fiscal policy. He officially retired two years later.

“Tommy was an instrumental figure in the reforms we achieved to our school finance and property tax systems during the 86th Legislative Session, and his leadership and advocacy has ensured a brighter future for the Lone Star State,” Abbott said in a press release in 2019.

The Texas A&M system’s regents met on Sept. 26 to authorize a separation agreement with former president Welsh, who left after more than two years as Texas A&M’s president . According to Welsh’s contract, his tenure was originally set to end in 2028.

“It’s been a pleasure to work for you, Boss,” Welsh wrote in his letter of resignation to Hegar, which was obtained by the Tribune. “Best of luck leading the best university system on Earth! They’re lucky to have you.”

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.