The highway confrontation between a Biden bus and Trump supporters made national news in the final days of the heated 2020 presidential campaign. The incident involved at least one minor collision and led to Texas Democrats canceling three scheduled campaign events.
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 universities with federal contracts are caught between Greg Abbott and Joe Biden over COVID-19 vaccine mandates
While some universities in other states that hold federal contracts have mandated vaccines for all employees, many Texas universities, which collectively have billions in federal contracts, are still reviewing the executive order before it goes into effect Dec. 8.
Posted in
Higher Education
Enrollment at Texas’ public universities inches ahead of community colleges for the first time since 1990s
Preliminary data shows Texas college enrollment is down about 4% statewide since 2019, mostly due to an 11% drop in community college enrollment.
Posted in
Economy
UT Rio Grande Valley to offer free tuition and fees to students with family income $100,000 or less
UTRGV’s decision to offer free tuition to more students comes after more students’ families lost jobs during the pandemic.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas colleges and universities get more than $3 billion for campus construction projects under bill headed to Gov. Greg Abbott
Before ending the special session Tuesday, Texas lawmakers reached a deal to allocate roughly $3.3 billion to higher education institutions for capital projects. The price tag went up from the Senate’s original proposal.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Senate approves $3 billion college campus construction bill
Lawmakers haven’t passed a tuition revenue bond bill since 2015.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
At Stephen F. Austin State University, a quiet pay bump for the president sparks outrage and questions over the budget and furloughs
A pandemic-weary faculty and staff want President Scott Gordon to step down, but the board of regents stands behind him for now.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asks Gov. Greg Abbott to add higher ed construction projects to third special session
The Texas Legislature has not approved bonds to fund capital projects on public university campuses since 2015, and many school leaders say they need help to build new buildings and maintain current structures.
Posted in
Higher Education
UT-Austin attempts to calm faculty concerns over planned Liberty Institute organized with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, conservative donors
Provost Sharon Wood attempted to reassure faculty that the new institute is an investment in politics, philosophy and economics to attract new faculty. But some professors said they’re concerned UT-Austin is allowing the Legislature to politicize the university with the new center.
Posted in
Texas Abortion Restrictions
Federal government announces funding for emergency contraception for Texans impacted by near-total abortion ban
The Biden administration also issued memorandums detailing two federal statutes officials says they would enforce to provide protection for patients who may need an abortion and health care providers who assist pregnant patients in certain situations.
