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Matthew Watkins is the managing editor of news and politics for The Texas Tribune. Before becoming an editor, he worked as a reporter at the Tribune, The Dallas Morning News and The Eagle in Bryan-College Station. He earned his bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University.
Outgoing UT-Austin President Bill Powers said this week that he felt he always acted in the best interest of the school and is proud of the reforms he helped implement. He also defended his actions related to university admissions. Full Story
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Bill author Van Taylor said SB 19 was one for the history books. Others, including John Whitmire, disagreed. Full Story
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Any candidate seeking elected office in Texas would be required to take a drug test when he or she files to run, under a proposal that the state Senate approved Tuesday. Full Story
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Texas law isn't specific about how public university system regents should do their jobs. So regents are largely left to interpret their roles themselves. With some taking a more hands-on approach, debate has grown about the role of regents. Full Story
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Amid concerns raised about the rising costs of a college tuition program for military veterans, a Texas Senate panel on Wednesday backed a plan that would tighten eligibility rules. Full Story
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UT System Regent Wallace Hall is questioning whether it is legal for the chancellor to restrict Hall's access to confidential student information. In a letter, he asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to weigh in. Full Story
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By an 8-0 vote, Gregory Fenves has been named the next UT-Austin president. He'll take over the job June 3. Full Story
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Also, the House-Senate brinksmanship on tax relief shows no sign of resolution. Full Story
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Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp has asked all vice presidents at the system's flagship College Station campus to submit letters of resignation prior to the arrival of the school's new president. Full Story
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School officials say the cost of providing free tuition for veterans and their dependents is growing at an unsustainable pace. Lawmakers in the House are considering tweaks to the law. Full Story
The University of Texas at Austin filed for five trademarks related to the hiring of basketball coach Shaka Smart this month. But an alumnus, his neighbor and a Louisiana company beat it to the punch on three others. Full Story
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Senators on Tuesday voted 30-1 to approve the state's two-year budget. It will now go to conference committee to be reconciled with the House version. Full Story
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In 2013, billions of dollars in bonds to pay for new campus buildings slipped through the grasp of state universities and colleges in the session's closing moments. Another bond package is now moving through the chambers, and university leaders hope not to repeat that fate. Full Story
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The University of Texas System Board of Regents will allow member Wallace Hall to see some data and documents compiled during an outside investigation into outside influence on UT-Austin admissions. Full Story
The Texas House on Wednesday tentatively approved a package of bonds worth $3.1 billion to support construction on college campuses. Legislators haven't authorized such spending in a decade. Full Story
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A Senate committee has approved a bill that would limit tuition increases to the rate of inflation unless universities meet "performance measures." Meanwhile, a House committee is considering a bill to tie tuition increases only to inflation. Full Story
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The Texas House on Tuesday approved a resolution calling for a constitutional election over whether to send surplus dollars from the Rainy Day Fund into a new account to pay down state debt. Full Story
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The meeting comes after UT System Regent Wallace Hall asked to visit with one of the investigators from Kroll Associates, which found that UT-Austin President Bill Powers helped secure admittance for some students over the objections of the admissions office. Full Story
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In a brief statement, the school said it was notified that Sen. Ted Cruz is "regrettably unable to join us" at the May event. No reason was given. Full Story
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Buyouts for Rick Barnes and Shaka Smart could force the Longhorns to pay $2.5 million. Full Story
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