why did president welsh resign

President Mark A. Welsh III of Texas A&M University resigned amid controversy and political backlash following a viral video showing a student confronting a professor about curriculum content related to gender identity in a children's literature class. The video sparked criticism from Republican Texas lawmakers, including Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who labeled the teaching of gender ideology as inappropriate. Welsh fired the professor involved and demoted two high-ranking school officials, but the fallout continued, leading to his resignation. Welsh did not explicitly cite the controversy as the reason for stepping down, but it occurred amid intense political pressure and campus unrest related to gender and diversity topics. The resignation was announced as a timely leadership transition to prepare the university for future challenges.