UT System prohibits its universities from making political or social statements
The new policy says universities should remain neutral on โissues of the dayโ while allowing students, faculty and staff to express their ideas.
UT-Austin spares pro-Palestinian protesters from suspension, offers them probation instead
Some students were relieved they were offered a type of academic probation that would allow them to remain in classes.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations at UT-Austin open rift among Jewish students
Some Jewish students see the protests as inherently antisemitic. Others say Jewish history and values make them empathize with Palestinians.
Revisiting the protest movements at the University of Texas
Protests have been a century-long tradition at UT-Austin, and The Daily Texan, the student newspaper, has faithfully covered and recorded these significant historical events.
Texasโ DEI ban almost ended cultural graduations. Latina students at UT-Austin fought to keep theirs.
Graduating students raised funds and took the lead organizing smaller ceremonies meant to highlight their identities and cultural heritage.
UT-Austin lecturer arrested and fired after confrontation with police at pro-Palestinian demonstration
The lecturerโs lawyer disputes the charges, and the universityโs decision to fire him has raised concerns from faculty over free speech protections.
UT-Austin student protesters balance end-of-year work with fallout from police crackdowns
Many students participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations fear their involvement might affect their plans for after college.
UT-Austinโs Jay Hartzell praised by GOP leaders as university presidents nationwide take heat over protest response
Hartzellโs protest response has also resulted in condemnations from students and faculty.
Gov. Greg Abbott and UT-Austin shift from championing free speech to policing protestersโ intentions
The arrest of dozens of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators since last week has left First Amendment advocates asking who gets to enjoy speech protections in Texas.
Dozens more arrested at UT-Austin as police use pepper spray, flash bangs to break up protests
The arrests mark the second time in less than a week that police have broken up a pro-Palestinian demonstration. This time protesters tried to set up an encampment on campus.
Misdemeanor charges filed against photojournalist arrested at UT-Austin protest
The FOX 7 employee is accused of hitting a trooper with his camera, but the arrested man told reporters he was pushed and didnโt hit any officer.
Faculty petition to hold no-confidence vote in UT-Austin president after protest response
President Jay Hartzell defended the response but faculty criticized the presence of armed state troopers. Fifty-seven people were arrested.
Layoffs and upheaval at Texas universities spur fear as lawmakers continue DEI crackdown
As administrators scramble to comply with new limits on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, students and faculty worry more tumult is coming.
UT-Austin announces round of firings in latest step to comply with Texasโ DEI ban
The firings come after state leaders criticized universities for not doing enough to enforce the ban. Students say UT-Austin has already overcorrected.
As doors close and funding fades, students worry UT-Austin is taking Texasโ new DEI ban too far
The new state law prohibits public universities from having diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Students say schools are overcorrecting.
UT-Austin investigates students amid tensions over Israel-Hamas war
Administrators are weighing possible disciplinary action against four students who criticized the universityโs response to the Middle East conflict.
As Israel-Hamas war sparks tensions on Texas campuses, universities struggle with how to respond
A series of incidents across Texas campuses have brought attention to universitiesโ handling of heated political debates about the war.
Proposition 5 on Texas ballot would create new endowment for โemergingโ research universities
If approved, the new fund would provide tens of millions of dollars to the University of Houston, Texas Tech, Texas State University and University of North Texas.
University of Texas at Austin and MD Anderson Cancer Center will partner to create a new $2.5 billion hospital
The new medical facility, to be located in downtown Austin, will help expand the University of Texas Systemโs reputed cancer center outside of the Houston area.
How an internship program hopes to end โbrain drainโ in Texasโ Permian Basin and other rural regions
This is the third year businesses in the Permian Basin โ known for high school football and oil fields โ have participated in the University of Texas at Austin program. Students this year say they are seeing their hometowns in a new way.
Texas A&M regents could offer a settlement to the journalism professor at center of hiring controversy
The systemโs board also plans to formally appoint an interim president after Katherine Banks resigned last week following news that the school changed its job offer to Kathleen McElroy, a Black journalism professor, after outcries from conservative groups.
Texas A&M recruited a UT professor to revive its journalism program, then backtracked after โDEI hysteriaโ
The university celebrated its decision to hire Kathleen McElroy to revive its journalism program. She says sheโs staying at UT after she felt judged because of her race and gender.
Race-based college admissions are now banned, but Texas schools still have ways to ensure campuses are diverse
Higher education experts say universities can implement other strategies like targeted recruitment in underserved communities, eliminating legacy admissions and getting rid of test requirements.
As race-neutral college admissions begin, Texas counselors work to convince students of color they still belong
Black and Latino students make up about two-thirds of Texasโ public schools. But they are vastly underrepresented at its top universities, and Thursdayโs Supreme Court ruling will shake up an already complicated application process.
UT-Austin only Texas public university affected by Supreme Courtโs ending use of race in admissions
No other public universities use race as a factor, but Texas private schools like Rice and Southern Methodist University will be impacted.
As demand for skilled workers rises in Texas, work-based educational programs see a resurgence
Many Texas residents can opt for a variety of different educational programs that are shorter, more appropriate to their needs and often cost less than a bachelorโs degree.
Texas colleges provide job training for students with disabilities. Hereโs how to access it.
Students with disabilities can find success in college, live independently and get jobs with the right kind of help. Here are college programs that provide support.
Texans have many educational credentials to choose from to begin a career. Hereโs how to navigate them.
Texans who arenโt sure about college have several pathways to well-paying jobs. Hereโs how those programs prepare people for careers when a four-year degree may not fit.
Texas colleges offer job training for students with disabilities. Hereโs how to use those programs.
Students with disabilities can succeed in college with the right kind of help. There are programs that can support them. The programs help them live on their own, find jobs, and make a difference where they live.
Half of Texas voters believe the impeachment of Ken Paxton was justified, poll finds
The attorney generalโs fellow Republicans were about evenly split in their approval and disapproval, the University of Texas poll determined.
What the possible end to race-conscious admissions means for Texas universities
Hereโs what you need to know ahead of the U.S. Supreme Courtโs expected ruling on two cases challenging the policy commonly known as affirmative action in college admissions.
With $1.4 billion investment, Texas hopes to sprint to the front of the microchip manufacturing race
Microchips are increasingly present in every day life, from phones and laptops to cars and washing machines. Gov. Greg Abbott approved last week a stimulus package in an effort to shore up the supply chain after the pandemicโs disruptions.
An effort to ban faculty tenure in public universities has failed in the Texas Legislature
The state Senate originally passed a bill to ban tenure, but on Saturday it approved the Houseโs counterproposal, which enshrines tenure in state law.
UT-Austin tried to hire a game theorist for its new free-enterprise think tank. He turned down the job because of fights over tenure.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to eliminate tenure, but his attempts have impacted the institute he helped create.
Texas bill would preserve UT-Austinโs admissions policies if U.S. Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action
State lawmakers passed legislation that would ensure the UT flagship can continue to cap the number of students it automatically admits because of their academic achievement at 75%, giving the university room to accept other students using different criteria.
House signals readiness to fight Senate over bills to ban tenure, diversity efforts at Texas universities
Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, pledged to defend his legislation dialing back Senate bills that would eliminate tenure and ban diversity, equity and inclusion offices. But faculty and students say even the House versions will hurt higher education.
Amended bill would keep tenure at Texas public universities
A new version of Senate Bill 18 scheduled for a hearing in the House Higher Education Committee on Monday would keep faculty tenure and direct university governing boards to establish policies to grant and revoke tenure.
Texas House may revise anti-diversity legislation to allow some programs to maintain grants, federal funding
A new version of Senate Bill 17 expected to be considered by the Houseโs Higher Education Committee on Monday would still ban DEI offices and prohibit required diversity training, but it would open the door for university boards of regents to approve such programs in certain circumstances.
University of Texas regents approve creation of new college to house Civitas Institute at UT-Austin
The Civitas Institute was conceived with the help of conservative donors and state lawmakers to lead research and education based on free-market principles.
Texas Senate approves bill that would end faculty tenure at public universities
Senate Bill 18 faces an uphill battle at the Texas House, where Speaker Dade Phelan has expressed concerns with completely eliminating the commonplace job protection.
How Republicansโ threats to tenure and diversity might undercut their own efforts to advance Texasโ universities
Texas lawmakers are poised to create a new multibillion-dollar endowment to boost emerging research universities in national rankings. But faculty members say banning diversity offices and tenure would stymie those efforts.
Bill would make UT-Austin center formerly known as Liberty Institute into its own college
Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, has filed legislation that would establish The Civitas School of Civic and International Leadership as a formal college at the University of Texas at Austin.
Texas Tech basketball coach Mark Adams suspended over โracially insensitiveโ comment
The head coach is also being investigated for allegedly spitting on a player during a game earlier in the season.
Plurality of Texas voters say they support school voucher-like program
The poll from the University of Texas at Austin, released Thursday, found a plurality of voters support redirecting tax revenue to help parents pay to school their kids outside the traditional public education system.
Travis County DA drops domestic violence case against fired UT-Austin basketball coach
Chris Beard was arrested in December for allegedly strangling his fiancรฉe. The university fired him last month.
University of Texas at Austin students will hold referendum on โEyes of Texasโ
The nonbinding referendum is meant to gauge student opinion on the divisive alma mater but would not result in any changes to the song. Student leaders called for it in response to a 2021 university report on the songโs history that found it was โnot overtly racist.โ
UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks
Students and faculty will not be able to access the popular social media app while connected to university internet servers. Itโs the latest step to limit access to the service after Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to ban the app on government-issued devices citing cybersecurity risks.
In lawsuit, student claims six Texas medical schools are illegally considering race and sex in admissions
The plaintiff is represented by a group created by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller and former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell, the architect of the stateโs six-week abortion ban.
UT fires head basketball coach Chris Beard after domestic violence arrest
Beard was hired by UT in 2021. The university paid $4 million to buy out his contract at Texas Tech University. He was one of UTโs highest-paid employees.
College voters held back by Texas election law, lack of on-campus polling sites
Many Texas universities donโt have early-voting locations on campus. And state laws regarding voter ID and registration make it hard to turn out younger voters, advocates say.
Two-thirds of board members overseeing Texas public universities are Abbott donors. Theyโre not shy about wielding influence.
High-money donors are concentrated on larger boards, including those of the University of Texas System and Texas A&M University System.
In lawsuit, UT-Austin professor accuses Texas A&M faculty program of discriminating against white and Asian men
UT-Austin professor Richard Lowery is represented by America First Legal โ a group created by Stephen Miller, a policy adviser for former President Donald Trump, and Jonathan Mitchell, a former solicitor general for Texas and the legal architect of the stateโs six-week abortion ban.
As monkeypox spreads, health experts urge Texas universities to prepare for outbreaks
While the risk of exposure to monkeypox remains low, health experts say college students living in close proximity to each other could spur outbreaks. They encourage schools to share their plans and relevant information about the virus.
Texas universities grapple with how to provide reproductive health care information to students amid new abortion laws
The changing legal landscape is raising questions for public colleges about how to talk to students about reproductive health care options and creating hesitancy among students about whether they can trust their universitiesโ health centers.
University of Texas selects new director โ and new name โ for its conservative institute
The University of Texas at Austin selected Justin Dyer to run The Civitas Institute, formerly referred to as the Liberty Institute. The center raised concerns among faculty after The Texas Tribune reported UT-Austin worked with conservative donors and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to bring the institute to the flagship UT campus.
Settlement with conservative free speech group forces University of Houston to keep amended anti-harassment policy
The conservative group Speech First argued that the anti-discrimination policy restricting โoffensive speech about personal characteristics such race, ethnicity or genderโ violates studentsโ First Amendment rights. The university agreed to keep its amended policy as part of a settlement.
Professors behind conservative-backed โLiberty Instituteโ say UT has strayed from plan
Emails obtained via an open records request show two professors who helped develop the new center believe UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell backed off a plan to bring โintellectual diversityโ to campus.
78% of Texas voters think abortion should be allowed in some form, UT poll shows
Only 15% of respondents to a recent University of Texas at Austin poll said access to the procedure should be completely outlawed.
The pandemic showed some Texas universities that they didnโt need the SAT. They might never go back.
Many Texas public universities have committed to accepting students who do not submit SAT or ACT standardized test scores, signaling that test-optional policies could be here to stay.
UT Austin will allow students to live together on campus regardless of gender or sexual identity
The two-year pilot program comes after at least 15 years of students asking for the change. It will allow UT-Austin students to live together in certain residence halls with students of any gender or sexual identity.
Jury awards UT-Austin professor $3 million in pregnancy and sex discrimination suit against university
A jury awarded Evdokia Nikolova damages for past and future pain and suffering after finding UT-Austin illegally discriminated against her when the school denied her tenure.
UT-Austin canโt call its new think tank The Liberty Institute. Another group already owns the rights to the name.
First Liberty Institute, a Plano-based religious freedom legal group, has a registered trademark for the name and said it has alerted UT-Austin that it objects to them using it.
UT System creates $300 million endowment to help seven universities expand free tuition programs
The endowment will increase the number of students who qualify for free tuition and fees at UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, UT-El Paso, UT-Permian Basin, UT-Rio Grande Valley, UT-San Antonio and UT-Tyler.
Analysis: Giving professors freedom, so long as they agree with politicians
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to revoke tenure for professors teaching lessons about race that he disagrees with. Itโs a new chapter of an old fight between academics and populist politicians.
UT Austin President Jay Hartzell defends faculty tenure after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes to end it at all public universities
Patrickโs suggestion to end tenure at public universities received swift criticism from faculty and higher education experts who said it would negatively impact the reputation of Texasโ colleges and universities.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes ending university tenure to combat critical race theory teachings
Patrickโs declarations come days after the UT-Austin Faculty Council approved a measure reaffirming instructorsโ right to teach about racial justice and critical race theory in the classroom.
UT faculty members demand answers after Dan Patrick says Liberty Institute intended to fight critical race theory
The lieutenant governor vowed to ban the teaching of critical race theory at Texasโ public colleges and universities.
Texas college students confront anxiety, apathy as another pandemic semester begins
As Texas universities and colleges begin a fifth semester during the COVID-19 pandemic, many students say they are struggling with uncertainty and an indifference toward school and the future.
UT-Austin professors criticize university for halting antiracism study with preschoolers
The decision to halt the study comes after a University of Michigan-Flint professor filed an Office for Civil Rights complaint against the study, arguing it discriminates against children of color. But professors said pausing the study sets a negative precedent that could impact academic freedom.
UT-Austin to keep Stan Richardsโ name on advertising school after he called motel campaign โtoo Blackโ
Richardsโ comments in 2020 led to his resignation from his Dallas-based company, The Richards Group, as well as calls for the university to change the name of the Stan Richards College of Advertising and Public Relations, which launched in 2014.
The new University of Austin hopes to counter what its founders say is a culture of censorship at most colleges
The university's mission is to create a โfiercely independentโ school that offers an alternative to what founders see as a rise in โilliberalismโ on college campuses.
More Texas voters unhappy than satisfied over power grid, abortion and property taxes, UT/TT Poll finds
Most voters approve of using state money to add border barriers between Texas and Mexico. But 57% disapprove of a new abortion lawโs provision allowing lawsuits against people who help someone get the procedure.
UT-Austin attempts to calm faculty concerns over planned Liberty Institute organized with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, conservative donors
Provost Sharon Wood attempted to reassure faculty that the new institute is an investment in politics, philosophy and economics to attract new faculty. But some professors said theyโre concerned UT-Austin is allowing the Legislature to politicize the university with the new center.
UTSA stopped displaying the โCome and Take itโ flag at football games and now faces criticism from its Board of Regents
UTSA decided to end the six-year tradition because the phrase had become โincongruentโ with the universityโs values and it did not want to become embroiled in a divisive issue.
Texas NAACP, students file federal civil rights complaint over UT-Austinโs โEyes of Texasโ
The complaint signals a continued desire among some UT-Austin students and alumni to push administrators to discontinue using the song as the universityโs alma mater, despite the universityโs insistence that it will remain.
UT-Austin working with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, conservative donors to create โlimited governmentโ think tank
Proposals obtained by The Texas Tribune indicate the institute would be โdedicated to the study and teaching of individual liberty, limited government, private enterprise and free markets.โ
University of Texas president defends decision to join SEC as lawmakers criticize timing and impact on other schools
Jay Hartzell said the switch to the Southeastern Conference was the best thing for UT-Austinโs student athletes and the university. Texas senators expressed disdain for the move and questioned how it came about.
Federal judge tosses lawsuit that sought to end UT-Austinโs affirmative action policy
The judge found that the group behind the suit had essentially brought the same claims in a previous case in which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the University of Texas at Austinโs policy.
After UT-Austin signals a Big 12 exit, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick moves to create a Senate panel focused on college sportsโ future
The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Oklahoma are expected to leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference. The move throws the athletics future of several other Texas schools into uncertainty.