In a detention center near Houston, an asylum seeker from Honduras said he agreed to sign a voluntary removal order from the U.S. after federal officials promised to reunite him with his 6-year-old daughter.
Shannon Najmabadi
Shannon Najmabadi was a reporter at the Tribune from 2017 to 2021, most recently covering women's health. Her stories — on higher education and other topics — have prompted lawmakers to change three state laws, including one involving a very narrow definition of the word “pickle.” She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and Columbia University.
Posted in
Energy
Lucrative Los Alamos National Lab contract awarded to team that includes Texas A&M
A&M is partnering with the University of California System and a research and development organization on the effort. Their extendable five-year contract with the U.S. Energy Department is worth an estimated $2.5 billion annually.
Posted in
Higher Education
New University of Texas System rule makes it easier for campus heads to fly business or first class
The rule comes less than three months after an audit dinged UT-Austin President Greg Fenves for using premium airfare for business travel.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M promised Jimbo Fisher a 10 year, $75 million contract five months ago. Here’s why it hasn’t been signed yet.
A&M officials say changes to the federal tax code and Fisher’s focus on recruiting players have slowed the signing process — but that their timeline is not unusual.
Posted in
Economy
“Somebody had to push”: One couple’s fight to change how Texas defines a pickle
Anita and Jim McHaney just wanted to sell their pickled beets at a farmers market. It turns out that’s not an easy task.
Posted in
Higher Education
Chancellor Bill McRaven on higher education, his time at the UT System and what’s next
Bill McRaven’s last day as chancellor of the University of Texas System is May 31. He spoke to The Texas Tribune in his last weeks about his time at the system, his aspirations for the future and higher education broadly.
Posted in
Demographics
After three decades as UTEP’s president, Diana Natalicio sets plan for retirement
Natalicio, 78, has been an El Paso fixture for decades, and she has been widely recognized for her efforts to make higher education more accessible to low-income students.
Posted in
Higher Education
After ex-employee is accused of fraud, UT hires a former federal prosecutor to investigate internal controls
A former director at the university’s law school is accused of fraud in a case potentially involving millions of dollars.
Posted in
Higher Education
Former UT-Austin President Larry Faulkner named interim chancellor of UT System
Faulkner, who was president of UT-Austin from 1998 to 2006, will replace outgoing Chancellor Bill McRaven on June 1.
Posted in
Higher Education
After McRaven departs, an interim chancellor for the UT System seems likely
Because of a state-mandated waiting period, the system’s governing board must leave 21-days between naming finalists for the chancellor job and appointing their pick. The window to do that before McRaven departs seemed to have closed Friday.
