After the decision, leaders of the West Texas university affiliated with Churches of Christ said their “first instinct is not exclusion but to love.”
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
Higher Education
In Texas, falling behind on your student loan payments can cost you your license to work
Texas is among several states that will bar teachers, dentists, nurses and other professional license holders from renewing their licenses if they are in default on their student loans. Critics say the practice is counterproductive, since it impedes Texans’ ability to work and pay back those loans.
Posted in
Higher Education
UT System regents vote unanimously to raise cost of tuition, fees
Most University of Texas System schools will see increases in the 1 percent to 7 percent range, adding hundreds of additional dollars to students’ tuition bills.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M spent more than a quarter-million dollars to draw attention from Richard Spencer’s 2016 visit to campus
The university’s handling of the case exemplifies how difficult — and expensive — it can be for schools to respond to controversial speech on their campuses.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
Texas House Democrats welcome former state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer’s return
Former state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer’s history in the Capitol and facility with legislative rules make him a strong player on a political team that’s vastly outnumbered in the Republican-controlled lower chamber, some of his former colleagues say.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
How Texas counties voted for Beto O’Rourke, and more primary results by county
The results are in from the Texas primary elections on March 6, 2018, the first since President Donald Trump was elected. Check out county-by-county comparisons of turnout in a few key races.
Posted in
Higher Education
UT-Austin President Greg Fenves broke school rules by flying on “premium airfare” tickets, audit finds
A University of Texas System audit has found that UT-Austin President Greg Fenves and his wife, Carmel, flew business class multiple times and should stop purchasing “premium airfare.” Fenves will reimburse the university about $27,000.
Posted in
Higher Education
Baylor University says “incendiary” allegations that it destroyed evidence are unfounded
Baylor University said in a court filing that a message about deleting emails had nothing to do with the sexual assault scandal plaguing the school.
Posted in
Higher Education
Some lawmakers think free speech is endangered at Texas colleges. But what can they do about it?
Free speech on campus has become a hot-button issue, but it’s unclear how lawmakers can better protect it — or if they need to.
Posted in
State Government
Nine Texas Facilities Commission employees departed after reports of agency dysfunction
Uniformed officers and what appeared to be locksmiths were spotted at the agency’s Austin headquarters the day former Executive Director Harvey Hilderbran was fired in January.
