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A new institute aimed at promoting American values has been established at West Texas A&M University, thanks to a generous $20 million donation. This extraordinary gift stands as the largest ever received by the university from an individual donor.
Amarillo businessman Alex Fairly and his wife, Cheryl, generously donate the gift. They are proud alumni of West Texas A&M.
The upcoming university center has been designated as the Hill Institute, in honor of Joseph Hill, the institution’s second president.
The new institute’s flier states that The Hill Institute’s mission is to promote contemplation on the significance of ten core values in West Texas, Texas, and America. Through academic pursuits and research, the aim is to disseminate these values among students across various disciplines in the University and the broader community.
The institute’s website lists those ten values: trust; family life; hard work and persistence; regard for others; personal responsibility and free will; compatriotism and patriotism; exercise of virtue; the free and open exercise of faith; personal and civic loyalty; and rugged individualism.
The recently launched website states that the main objective is for the scholarly work to have an influence on all professions and fields of study present at [West Texas A&M’s] campus, guided by the deeply cherished and respected principles of The Institute. It acknowledges that a significant issue in modern higher education is the isolation of disciplines, lacking shared foundations to cultivate active and involved individuals. The Institute aims to shed light on the core principles that form the basis of our nation, as manifested in our region, in order to solidify intellectual processes that contribute towards improving the world we live in.
In February 2022, the creation of the institute was approved by the Texas A&M Board of Regents. Since then, the university has been actively seeking a donor to provide financial support for the center. President Walter Wendler of West Texas A&M collaborated with Fairly for three years to define the institute’s mission. He envisions both the university and this new institute as a platform for propelling the future of higher education.
During an event to announce the new center, Wendler emphasized the necessity for constant reshaping of higher education, particularly in light of the influential factors impacting university life, students, faculty, and staff. He expressed concern about the universalist perspective that pushes for uniformity among all institutions, stating that this direction is misguided and influenced by various compelling forces.
Wendler, the university’s president since 2016, has gained a reputation for his vocal expression of Christian beliefs. He frequently shares articles on his personal website and communicates messages about his faith with the university community.
In the spring, the university’s faculty issued a vote of no confidence in Wendler’s leadership after he canceled a student drag show on campus, which he called “derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny.” They accused him of abusing his role as president by running the university based on his own religious ideology and said he has exhibited a pattern of “divisive, misogynistic, homophobic and non-inclusive rhetoric that stands in stark contrast with the core values of the university.”
Wendler emerged from the controversy unscathed. He’s also received early support from a federal judge who is overseeing a lawsuit that a campus LGBTQ student group filed against Wendler in March, alleging he violated their free speech rights by banning the drag performance. Recently, the judge declined the student’s request for injunctive relief, stating that Wendler acted within his authority when he canceled the campus drag show.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who attended the event announcing the donation Wednesday, said he supported the center as a way to bring Texas “panhandle values” to the rest of the country.
Patrick referred to the expansive, idyllic area, consisting of rural counties and smaller outposts, as the embodiment of what America once was and should strive to be once more. He emphasized that the region’s Republican stronghold reflects the embodiment of quintessential American values.
According to Wendler, the Hill Institute aims to integrate students and faculty members in order to gain a deeper understanding of the influence of these values on day-to-day existence, fostering a stronger community, equipping individuals for active citizenship, and shaping our nation. Wendler expressed a desire for the mission of the Hill Institute to extend its impact well beyond our local area.
According to a press release, the institute has announced that the “Hill scholars” will actively contribute their ideas and insights through regular publications and speaking engagements.
The institute will receive funding from private donations, rather than state resources, according to university officials.
When Wendler asked Alex Fairly to join the committee for the university’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, the One West campaign, Fairly admitted to feeling skeptical about whether his values would align with the broader perspective of higher education.
Fairly expressed his struggle in deciding whether to contribute to higher education due to doubts about the direction it was heading. He emphasized the need for intelligent and virtuous leadership in Texas and America, and urged education to prioritize the recognition of enduring values.
Fairly expressed that he and his wife were persuaded to contribute their donation due to Wendler’s leadership in higher education, which they believe aligns with their vision, as well as the principles advocated by Joseph Hill, who frequently emphasized the values of the region.
According to the Texas Ethics Commission, Fairly has sporadically donated to local and state Republican lawmakers over the past few years. In 2022, Fairly and his entity, dealOn LLC, donated $100,000 to Attorney General Ken Paxton and $250,000 to Patrick. He has also made smaller donations to House Speaker Dade Phelan.
In the current year, a sum of $145,000 was contributed by Fairly and his spouse to the Defend Texas Liberty PAC. This particular political action committee is under the guidance of former Representative Jonathan Stickland. Notably, the PAC has actively endorsed Paxton, offering unwavering support during his impeachment process in the Texas House and throughout the subsequent trial in the Senate. Additionally, in June, the PAC made a substantial donation of $3 million to Patrick, who officiated over the aforementioned trial.
During the Wednesday event, Patrick expressed his commitment to collaborating with Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp in establishing comparable institutes across all A&M campuses before the conclusion of Sharp’s tenure.
He addressed the audience, urging them to commence from this very point and transform it into a nationwide policy initiative, emphasizing the imperative need for leaders within America. He stressed the importance of redirecting our focus towards God and building upon that fundamental principle.
Patrick has previously shown his support for a public university institute that received financial support from conservative donors, and this is not the first instance of such support.
In 2021, Patrick worked with private donors and university leaders at the University of Texas at Austin to create the now-called Civitas Institute. Originally called the Liberty Institute, the proposed think tank would be “dedicated to the study and teaching of individual liberty, limited government, private enterprise and free markets,” according to draft plans of the center.
Patrick later said the original concept for the center was “shot down” by UT-Austin professors because they wanted to have control of hiring. Faculty who were involved in the creation of the institute told the Tribune that university leaders diverted from the original plans after faculty pushed back against the idea.
Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University System, University of Texas at Austin and West Texas A&M University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
