The Texas A&M System Board of Regents has unanimously passed a resolution banning drag show events at the 11 universities under its umbrella, including the College Station campus. 

The resolution, passed during a special meeting Friday afternoon, also directs Chancellor John Sharp and the president of each university to change policies to ensure they comply with the resolution and state and federal law and executive orders.

“The board finds that it is inconsistent with the system’s mission and core values of its universities, including the value of respect for others, to allow special event venues of the universities to be used for drag shows,” the resolution reads.

It instructs President Mark A. Welsh III to cancel Draggieland 2025, the annual drag show hosted by the Queer Empowerment Council at Rudder Theatre on March 27. The Council, a student organization that organizes LGBTQ+ events at A&M, was unaware of the resolution before it passed, its president told The Battalion. Regent Mike Hernandez was not present for the Board’s meeting, which occurred largely in executive session. 

Draggieland is sold out annually and exclusive to adults age 18 and older. There is no national or state order to end drag shows on university campuses. The university already ended its sponsorship and funding of the event in 2022.

A System spokesperson responded to a list of questions with the original resolution. A university spokesperson said A&M is working to implement the directive. The spokesperson released a second statement shortly after.

“After the Board of Regents meeting today, the Texas A&M University administration began coordinating with the Division of Student Affairs to notify student organizations about the Board’s decision,” the statement reads. “As a part of the Texas A&M University System, the flagship university follows policies set by the Board.”

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, released a statement a few hours after the resolution passed.

“Drag is protected expression,” the statement reads. “Full stop. “Whether drag or Bible study, public universities cannot ban or punish students’ protected expression. Banning speech because it might offend someone else is viewpoint discrimination, the third rail of the First Amendment.”

FIRE is currently suing the A&M System and West Texas A&M president Walter Wendler after a student group was denied the ability to hold a drag show on campus in 2023 and 2024.

This story will be updated as more information is released.