A student sued the University of Texas at Austin alleging administrators violated his First Amendment rights for disciplinary action following the protest.
Jessica Priest
Jessica Priest covers higher education, working in partnership with Open Campus. She joined the Tribune in 2022 as an engagement reporter in the ProPublica/Texas Tribune joint investigative unit, contributing to a series that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the explanatory reporting category. Prior to the Tribune, Jessica worked for the Fort Worth Report, USA Today, the Victoria Advocate and the Temple Daily Telegram, reporting on topics that included criminal justice, the environment and local government. Her work has often made an impact. The state’s highest criminal court granted a death row inmate a new trial after she detailed a prosecutor’s conflicts of interest. After she exposed questionable hirings and payments at a port and later a water district in another part of the state, both public entities underwent reforms. Jessica was born in Houston and graduated from Sam Houston State University.
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Higher Education
Texas A&M drag ban cases before federal judges after conflicting rulings
Student groups in two cases concerning drag performances on Texas A&M System campus venues argue the bans violate First Amendment protections.
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Higher Education
A dozen Texas universities earn D,F grades on free speech report card, advocacy group says
The report comes amid a broader fight over campus expression and what’s taught in Texas.
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Higher Education
Texas universities limit their brands in political ads. Dan Patrick used them anyway.
It is not clear if Patrick’s campaign sought permission from three Texas universities to use their trademarks in a college football-inspired ad that appears to be AI-generated.
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Higher Education
New hearing denied in fight over Texas law that gave undocumented students in-state tuition
A federal judge blocked the Texas Dream Act in June after it was challenged by the Trump administration and state officials declined to defend it.
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Higher Education
Two UT System institutions experience leadership changes as new semester begins
UT Arlington’s Jennifer Cowley is returning to faculty. Meanwhile, MD Anderson’s Peter Pisters is retiring after 32 years with the cancer center.
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Higher Education
Buyouts offered to nearly a quarter of UT Tyler employees amid budget shortfall
The university in East Texas is among other state colleges facing financial strains.
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Higher Education
Protecting Texas university research from foreign adversaries focus of House hearing
As Texas examines foreign influence, UT-Austin is among 30 institutions ordered to provide federal authorities a security audit of certain international ties.
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Higher Education
UT-Austin overhauling core classes but hasn’t detailed how new center relates to the courses
UT-Austin proposes big changes to how future students meet graduation requirements as questions persist about a new Center for Humanities.
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Higher Education
Professors sue Texas A&M System over limits on teaching race, gender
This is the second Texas university system sued over teaching restrictions in recent weeks.
