Colleges Heighten Focus on Sexual Assaults
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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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.
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
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
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
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
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
The Tribune identified 28 schools in Texas named after Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Albert Sidney Johnston. Of those, four have a majority of white students. Full Story
The future of the University of Texas at Austin's use of race in some admissions decisions is again in doubt after the U.S. Supreme Court indicated Monday that it will rehear a challenge to the school’s admissions rules. Full Story
James Wetherbe of Texas Tech University is the rare professor who thinks tenure is terrible. His opinions have him tangled up in a long-running lawsuit against the university where he teaches. Full Story
In an effort to gain access to confidential student information, University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall has sued the chancellor of the system he oversees. Full Story
On the same day that three statues commemorating Confederate leaders were vandalized at the University of Texas at Austin, campus leaders said they may soon decide whether to remove the statues. Full Story