The Baylor Board of Regents approved a four-step plan to change the name of a campus quadrangle named after a slave-owning former university president and add more elements to provide a better representation of Baylor’s history.
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
Higher Education
Texas A&M board takes next step toward Fort Worth expansion
The board agreed to spend $85 million on a law and education building and another $85 million on a research and innovation center.
Posted in
Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott says federal government should cover cost of educating undocumented students in Texas public schools
Abbott expanded on comments he made about how he wants to “resurrect” the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe, which guaranteed that public schools would educate all students regardless of citizenship status.
Posted in
Environment
New “resiliency center” at Houston Community College aims to prepare Texas’ largest city for disasters
After back-to-back major flooding events devastated Houston, the community college is launching a new program to ensure that citizens, businesses and emergency responders are better equipped to respond to catastrophic events.
Posted in
Higher Education
The pandemic showed some Texas universities that they didn’t need the SAT. They might never go back.
Many Texas public universities have committed to accepting students who do not submit SAT or ACT standardized test scores, signaling that test-optional policies could be here to stay.
Posted in
Higher Education
“The most hated conservative college student in the state”: How a UNT student embroiled her campus in a culture war
Senior Kelly Neidert has repeatedly thrust the University of North Texas into the conservative media spotlight, most recently by bringing Texas House candidate Jeff Younger to campus. Her motive? It depends on who you ask.
Posted in
Higher Education
Federal judge rules UNT can’t charge out-of-state students more tuition than undocumented students
The lawsuit against the University of North Texas argues out-of-state American citizens shouldn’t pay more than undocumented Texans. A federal judge agreed.
Posted in
Higher Education
Stephen F. Austin State University president Scott Gordon steps down months after a salary bump angered the campus community
The Board of Regents backed Gordon last year despite a vote of no confidence from faculty. Six months later, the board reversed course. It said Sunday that it was in everyone’s “best interest” to part ways and appointed an interim president.
Posted in
LGBTQ+ Texans
UT Austin will allow students to live together on campus regardless of gender or sexual identity
The two-year pilot program comes after at least 15 years of students asking for the change. It will allow UT-Austin students to live together in certain residence halls with students of any gender or sexual identity.
Posted in
Higher Education
Outgoing Prairie View A&M President Ruth Simmons will remain at university, create new leadership diversity program
Simmons will teach, help maintain new fundraising partnerships and launch a college and university leadership training academy.
