Under this new model, community colleges would receive state funds based on the number of graduates who earn certificates or degrees and the number of students who transfer to four-year universities.
Kate McGee
Kate McGee is an Austin-based enterprise and investigative reporter. She joined the Tribune in October 2020 as a higher education reporter. She was a three-time finalist for the Education Writers Association's Beat Reporter of the Year award, winning the title in 2024. She was also a Livingston Award finalist for her coverage of the University of Texas at Austin. Before the Tribune, she spent nearly a decade as a reporter at public radio stations nationwide, including in Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Austin; Reno, Nevada; and New York. Kate was born in New York City and primarily raised in New Jersey. She earned her bachelor's degree from Fordham University.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate approves bill barring professors from “compelling” students to adopt certain political beliefs
Critics say Senate Bill 16 is overly vague and will create a chilling effect that will prevent important conversations about race and gender. But Republican supporters say the legislation is necessary to protect conservative students who are self-censoring in the classroom.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
How Republicans’ threats to tenure and diversity might undercut their own efforts to advance Texas’ universities
Texas lawmakers are poised to create a new multibillion-dollar endowment to boost emerging research universities in national rankings. But faculty members say banning diversity offices and tenure would stymie those efforts.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate approves bill restricting which college sports teams transgender athletes can join
The bill will now head to the Texas House where enough lawmakers have already expressed support to approve a similar bill. Gov. Greg Abbott has also said he supports the measure.
Posted in
Higher Education
West Texas A&M University students file free speech lawsuit after president cancels campus drag show
The lawsuit comes after protests each day this week, calling for university president Walter Wendler to reinstate the drag show and step down.
Posted in
LGBTQ+ Texans
West Texas A&M University president cancels student drag show, saying it degrades women
Students and First Amendment lawyers say President Walter Wendler’s portrayal of drag shows is off base and the cancellation violates free-speech rights.
Posted in
Higher Education
Bill would make UT-Austin center formerly known as Liberty Institute into its own college
Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, has filed legislation that would establish The Civitas School of Civic and International Leadership as a formal college at the University of Texas at Austin.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate’s priority bills on higher ed would end tenure, diversity policies
The bills are part of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s list of priorities and, if passed as filed, could have profound impacts on how Texas universities recruit top faculty and other employees.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M University System bans diversity statements from job applications
The Texas A&M, Texas State and University of Houston systems are the latest to make changes after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop considering diversity in their hiring practices.
Posted in
LGBTQ+ Texans
Republican Texas lawmakers rally around bill restricting the college sports teams transgender athletes can join
Seventy-seven Texas House Republicans signed on as co-authors to state Rep. Valoree Swanson’s bill extending restrictions on transgender athletes to college sports. Gov. Greg Abbott has expressed support for the legislation, which is also a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
