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Matthew Watkins began serving as editor in chief of the Tribune in September 2024. Matthew is a Texas native, born in Houston and raised in Austin. He attended public schools and graduated from Texas A&M University. He’s spent nearly two decades in Texas journalism, and previously worked at The Eagle in Bryan-College Station and The Dallas Morning News. Matthew joined the Tribune in 2015 has held various roles, including higher education reporter, breaking news editor and politics editor. As a managing editor, Matthew has guided the Tribune’s award-winning journalism and other reporting of statewide significance, including coverage of elections and legislative sessions to major breaking news and ambitious storytelling about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas-Mexico border, the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, the impeachment of Texas attorney general and battles over public education. He lives in Austin with his wife, Susan, and their two children.
With an eye on keeping up with demographic changes and competing with other states and countries, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has adopted a new goal: Get 60 percent of Texans between 25 and 34 a postsecondary degree by 2030. Full Story
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The University of Texas System, seeking to dismiss a lawsuit from Regent Wallace Hall against Chancellor William McRaven, says in a court filing that Hall is, in short, suing McRaven "for refusing to violate federal and state privacy laws." Full Story
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As Waller County authorities vowed on Friday to conduct a thorough investigation into the death of Sandra Bland, who was found hanged at the county jail, the Texas Department of Public Safety moved forward on a separate inquiry into how arrest procedures were violated in the case. Full Story
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The Mexican government signed a deal with the University of Texas at Austin on Thursday that will bring some of that country's top science and technology researchers to work temporarily in Austin. Full Story
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Bob Mong, the recently retired longtime editor of The Dallas Morning News, has been tapped as the next president of the University of North Texas at Dallas. Full Story
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A combination of publicity, heightened scrutiny and a new state law is leading colleges across the state to place more emphasis than ever on preventing and responding to sexual assault. Full Story
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Following allegations of cheating by men's basketball players, the University of Texas at Austin has finalized a contract with the firm of sports lawyer Gene Marsh to review the academic experience of Longhorn athletes. Full Story
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UPDATED: University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall was asked to leave a closed-door regents meeting Wednesday in which his lawsuit against UT Chancellor William McRaven was discussed. The regents later voted to urge Hall to drop his lawsuit. Full Story
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It won't go down as a landmark achievement in gay rights, but a recent change in Baylor University's student sexual conduct policy has nonetheless heartened gays at the conservative Baptist school. Full Story
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Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas Health Science Center have announced plans to jointly launch a new medical school in Fort Worth. Full Story
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