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An Islamic academic institution said to be “unauthorized” by the state of Texas has deleted its website following a threat of legal action by Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.
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Formally known as the Texas American Muslim University, “TexAM University,” which operates as a nonprofit registered under the name Texas American Institute for Technology at Dallas, is not officially recognized as a university by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the body that oversees all public post-secondary education in the state, according to officials.
TexAM does not hold regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) nor is the organization listed on a federal database of accredited post-secondary institutions and programs.
On May 7, THECB sent a letter at the direction of the governor to TexAM University stating they were prohibited from using the term “university” without a state-issued certificate of authority.
The letter stated that “TexAM claims to offer STEM degree programs and admissions to a variety of bachelor’s degree programs. It must immediately cease this advertising and student enrollment.”
According to the letter signed by THECB Associate Commissioner Daniel Perez, TexAM’s website indicated it offered master’s degree programs in artificial intelligence and bachelor’s degree programs in “computer science, IT, cybersecurity, and health informatics.”
Just one day after that letter was sent, the Texas A&M University System issued a cease-and-desist letter for what officials called the “unauthorized use of the Texas A&M University name and trademarks by a Muslim education entity in North Texas that is branding itself as ‘TexAM University.’”
“The Texas A&M University System has a responsibility to protect the name and trademarks, which represent more than a century of academic excellence, public trust and institutional integrity,” Chancellor Glenn Hegar of The Texas A&M University System said in a statement. “When another organization uses branding that is similar, particularly in the same educational space, we must act to prevent confusion and protect the value of those marks.”
University officials said they were “prepared to pursue all necessary legal remedies” against TexAM if necessary.
According to archived versions of the TexAM website, the would-be university’s address was listed as 1100 E. Campbell Road in Richardson, the same address as the Dallas Diyanet Mosque and the Islamic Seminary of America.
It’s not clear whether either organization is affiliated with the now-offline university.
The Christian Post reached out for comment Monday to the contact info listed for TexAM University. This article will be updated if a response is received.
Last November, Amir Omar, the mayor of Richardson, attended an event at the then-“newly established” university, where he joined Chairman Shahid Bajwa and university President Ghulam Chaudhry to discuss the mayor’s “moral support and guidance.”
In an undated video of the appearance shared on social media, Omar said he personally helped TexAM leadership find a location for the fledgling institution.
“I personally, almost like a real estate agent, was willing to walk them around and show them some of my favorite buildings,” he said. “So maybe your second campus, as you grow out of this [building] … I would be more than thrilled to be a conduit, to connect you guys and your programs to industry that’s here ready to be hiring people.”
Standing in front of a TexAM logo, the mayor — who became the first Muslim to serve as mayor of a Dallas-area city last May — also appeared to describe the local Muslim community as vying for more political power in Richardson and beyond. “There are some in our community that are politically impatient,” he said. “They would love to have another congressman, another person at another higher level.”
CP reached out to the mayor’s office Monday for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
The dust-up comes less than a week after a private event at a Texas city-owned waterpark was canceled in response to the governor’s direct warning to withhold more than $500,000 in state public safety funding.
The event at the city-owned Epic Indoors Waterpark was initially promoted with flyers describing it as “Muslims only” and included a modest dress code requiring burkinis for women, halal food, a private prayer room and rules encouraging attendees to maintain personal space and “lower the gaze” of their eyes around the opposite sex.
After backlash on social media, organizers updated promotional materials to state that “all are welcome,” provided attendees follow the modest dress code.
What do you think about Texas’ response to this controversial institution? Share your thoughts and prayers below.
This article was originally published at The Christian Post. Photo Credit: Gabriel Tovar on Unsplash.
