AUSTIN — Iván Chaar López was denied tenure at the University of Texas at Austin. The university did not provide an explanation for the decision to deny tenure to the American studies professor.

López has been a faculty member at the institution since 2020. His research focuses on the history of information infrastructures used for border enforcement since the mid-20th century. During his time at the university, López received a fellowship from the Humanities Institute and a Ransom Fellowship. He also received start-up funding for a collaborative project from the previous provost.

The tenure recommendation process involved multiple levels of review within the university. The interim dean strongly endorsed López for tenure during the evaluation period. The University of Texas at Austin promotion and tenure committee voted 19 to 2 in favor of tenure for López in late October.

Earlier in the process, the faculty executive committee unanimously supported López for tenure in September. External reviewers also unanimously supported his candidacy for tenure.

A UT spokesperson addressed the denial by stating that the review process adheres to institutional standards. "Tenure is a privilege, not a right," the UT spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the university maintains a rigorous evaluation system.

"UT does not rubber stamp decisions of such importance. The tenure review process is handled thoughtfully, fairly, and professionally with a thorough system of checks and balances to ensure the highest standards of teaching and research," the spokesperson said.

López has exhausted two of three options to appeal the tenure denial. He is currently in a grievance process arguing that his academic freedom was violated. A preliminary hearing for López's grievance is scheduled for August.

University of Texas System Rule 31007 mandates that tenure candidates must meet standards in research, teaching, service, and mentoring. The rule states that expertise is given utmost consideration in evaluations. The interim dean, David Sosa, explicitly stated that López exceeds demanding standards of scholarship and service in the tenure evaluation. The UT regents approved a policy limiting faculty discussion of controversial topics a week after López's tenure denial.

The denial of tenure occurred as the University of Texas at Austin has consolidated ethnic studies departments. The university has also restricted what faculty can talk about in the classroom. Texas had a population of 29,243,342 according to the U.S. Census Bureau 2022 American Community Survey.

Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas and seat of Travis County. The outcome of the grievance process and the scheduled hearing in August will determine the final status of López's employment and appeal options.