That includes $40 million to the University of Texas at San Antonio, which the university plans to use to boost student enrollment, retention and graduation rates at the Hispanic-serving institution.
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
Gov. Greg Abbott signs bill allowing college athletes to profit off their own name and likeness
More than a dozen states have passed similar legislation allowing college athletes to be paid for the use of their name, image or likeness as state lawmakers have called on the federal government to set national guidelines.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas universities got more state funding this year than they anticipated — but they’re still hoping for more support
Two- and four-year school leaders are looking to the upcoming special session for more support as the state decides how to spend $16 billion in federal stimulus funding
Posted in
Politics
Ken Paxton asks appeals court to toss whistleblower case brought by former top aides
In an 85-page brief filed Tuesday, the attorney general’s lawyers argue that under state law, a whistleblower must believe someone has broken the law, but the aides only reported that “they expected laws might be violated.”
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas bill limiting teaching of current events, historic racism appears headed for governor after Senate revives it
Texas educators worry the bill would have a chilling effect on tough conversations about race and racism. GOP lawmakers say they wanted to ensure teachers’ personal biases stay out of their lessons.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas educators worry bill limiting the teaching of current events and historic racism would “whitewash history”
Texas educators say they’re concerned they won’t be able to have open conversations about what’s happening in the world if the Texas Legislature approves a bill that restricts how teachers can discuss current events in the classroom.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas’ divisive bill limiting how students learn about current events and historic racism passed by Senate
The bill aims to ban critical race theory in public and open-enrollment charter schools. Supporters say it merely ensures students aren’t taught that one race or gender is superior to another. Critics say it limits how race in America is taught.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas universities urge passage of funding bill for campus construction to train more medical students after pandemic
Rep. Jim Murphy said lawmakers selected projects that would address the state’s nursing and medical professional shortages as the COVID-19 pandemic reiterated additional need for skilled workers.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas colleges and universities get $2 billion in federal stimulus money. Half must go directly to struggling students.
The federal government also announced that undocumented and international students can now receive those emergency funds, too, rolling back a Trump administration rule that allowed schools to distribute grants only to students who qualified for federal financial aid.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Democrat revives Texas bill restricting transgender students’ sports participation in apparent act of retaliation against his party
The bill previously lacked the votes to advance out of House committee. After House Democrats spiked one of his bills, Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, revived it.
