College students and professors are protesting with mock funerals across Texas, saying universities are dying from political interference. School officials say they’re responding to shifting needs.
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.
Posted in
State Government
Texas American Muslim University sued by Paxton, accused of misleading would-be students
TexAM is accused of misrepresenting itself as a university and adopting branding too similar to Texas A&M. Its leaders say they were already complying with state demands.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas Tech discipline against law student over alleged Charlie Kirk comments stands after court ruling
University officials issued a written reprimand for the alleged comments. The lawsuit argues Texas Tech violated her free speech rights.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas State University professor’s firing after Israeli-Palestinian comments blocked
Philosophy professor Idris Robinson argued that his comments, made in an off-campus setting, were protected speech.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas Tech cautions broadcasting research restrictions to prospective students
Experts worry graduate students will learn too late about university’s ban on research work related to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Posted in
Higher Education
New Texas A&M president confirmed as university seeks stability
Susan Ballabina takes charge of the state’s largest public university after previous leaders faced political backlash.
Posted in
Higher Education
UNT approves buyouts for professors, faculty as it tackles budget shortfalls
A drop in international student enrollment and state funding contributed to financial woes at the University of North Texas. Other state colleges face similar challenges.
Posted in
Higher Education
Protesters challenge premise of Texas A&M civil discourse symposium amid new restrictions
Some students said the message of the forum, headlined by former Vice President Mike Pence, rang hollow as the university has placed limits on what professors can teach.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas Tech System leader cancels academic programs “centered on” sexual orientation, gender identity
Chancellor Brandon Creighton directed provosts to phase out the programs and ordered universities to recognize only “two human sexes.”
Posted in
Higher Education
This state agency was created to investigate Texas universities. How that works is a mystery.
Office of the Ombudsman has no written policies on how to investigate allegations that education laws are being broken, even though it’s been accepting complaints for three months.
