The University of North Texas will pay Professor Timothy Jackson a $725,000 settlement following a First Amendment lawsuit over a campus investigation into his academic work. The dispute centered around a symposium Jackson organized defending 19th-century music theorist Heinrich Schenker, which critics labeled racist. The settlement includes monetary compensation and academic reinstatement.
Under the agreement, Jackson receives $400,000 in damages and $325,000 in legal fees. The university must also reduce his teaching load, provide a research assistant, and resume publication of the Journal of Schenkerian Studies, which had been suspended. The journal will now follow editorial standards equal to other university-supported publications. Jackson remains editor-in-chief for at least five years.
The controversy began after Hunter College professor Philip Ewell accused Schenker of racism in 2020. Jackson’s response symposium challenged Ewell’s claims, noting Schenker’s Jewish background and complex views. This led to student and faculty backlash, with allegations of racial stereotyping and calls for disciplinary action. The College of Music’s dean initiated a formal investigation and froze the journal’s operations.
Seventeen UNT faculty members signed a letter demanding consequences for Jackson. The administration accused him of bypassing peer-review and enabling “racist sentiments.” Jackson responded by suing in federal court, asserting violations of his First Amendment rights and academic freedom.
Federal courts allowed Jackson’s lawsuit to proceed, rejecting UNT’s attempts to dismiss it. With summary judgment looming in mid-2025, both parties reached a settlement. While UNT did not admit wrongdoing, it agreed to substantial academic and financial terms to resolve the dispute.
The case highlights ongoing concerns over ideological enforcement in higher education. Legal action compelled UNT to reestablish fair academic procedures, reaffirming protections for scholarly dissent on politically sensitive issues.
