The latest Texas A&M University-College Station news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas lawmakers are poised to create a new multibillion-dollar endowment to boost emerging research universities in national rankings. But faculty members say banning diversity offices and tenure would stymie those efforts. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/295ce2679d63184887ff8dbd5f6ee1f4/0323%20DEI%20Protest%20LS%20TT%2002.jpg)
Many Texas universities don’t have early-voting locations on campus. And state laws regarding voter ID and registration make it hard to turn out younger voters, advocates say. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2cf1d0e91dacbde7d7102e17baa9ea14/UTEP%20Early%20Voting%20PR%20TT%2004.jpg)
High-money donors are concentrated on larger boards, including those of the University of Texas System and Texas A&M University System. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7b3326f1e2a53690f83ce25fae9c496d/UT%20Board%20of%20Regents%20TT%2002%20MKC.jpg)
UT-Austin professor Richard Lowery is represented by America First Legal — a group created by Stephen Miller, a policy adviser for former President Donald Trump, and Jonathan Mitchell, a former solicitor general for Texas and the legal architect of the state’s six-week abortion ban. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/369e11ffa44457667353625ea85bee9e/TAMU%20File%20AG%20TT%2006.jpg)
Faculty members say Banks could have been more communicative and transparent about a variety of organizational changes she put in motion during her first year as president. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b176bae1d58b2288fde38fb428d4ac24/TAMU%20Katherine%20Banks%20MF%20TT%2009.jpg)
While the risk of exposure to monkeypox remains low, health experts say college students living in close proximity to each other could spur outbreaks. They encourage schools to share their plans and relevant information about the virus. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d3d713a9578d675c3c6a7165be56106e/Monkeypox%20REUTERS%20TT%2002.jpg)
UT-San Antonio is the fifth public university in Texas to achieve Texas Tier One status. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/17236c548f0ad809db2f853057d8fb6e/UTSA%20File%20CS%20TT%2006)
The chancellor instructed universities and agencies in the system to dissolve all agreements, especially those related to academics, research and intellectual property. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/21dcdca01f49dbd05a8d7ef5b1659f7a/TAMU%20Campus%20SK%20TT%2001.jpg)
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to revoke tenure for professors teaching lessons about race that he disagrees with. It’s a new chapter of an old fight between academics and populist politicians. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/265b78b1ccb79d6fbb5aec4a673ed888/Patrick%20Presser%20on%20Tenure%20JV%20TT%2009.jpg)
The student newspaper will continue as an online-only news organization after the spring semester. But the university’s unilateral decision to end the print edition without student input has students and faculty concerned about its editorial independence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c90f85f0ba758c6bea495788475adf48/TAMU%20File%20AG%20TT%2014.jpg)
As Texas universities and colleges begin a fifth semester during the COVID-19 pandemic, many students say they are struggling with uncertainty and an indifference toward school and the future. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7788286c69e1932ed4a9729ded5f089a/UTRGV%20File%20EG%20TT%2007.jpg)
Sharp talked about how higher ed survives the pandemic, the obstacles to running a world-class public university and the future of college football. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a724dadc488320ee6e66a796f7071df1/TTF21%20John%20Sharp.jpg)
University leaders have encouraged mask-wearing and getting vaccinated, but they say Gov. Greg Abbott has prevented them from requiring either. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d3f8710540cb113e5c2b1a25d1738673/TAMU%20Covid%20Protest%20JV%20TT%2016.jpg)
Jay Hartzell said the switch to the Southeastern Conference was the best thing for UT-Austin’s student athletes and the university. Texas senators expressed disdain for the move and questioned how it came about. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a6e9fd107a37f1c03e8a73f266813b3b/UT%20Austin%20Football%20REUTERS%20TT%2003.jpg)
Nothing offers a better distraction from nasty political fights over serious subjects than nasty political infighting over Texas college sports. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9780cfdcf5df421e152c943b29e0b986/Baylor%20Football%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)
Four prominent lawmakers — one each with ties to Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University — met with Gov. Greg Abbott’s staff Thursday, one day after news broke that the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma had reached out to the Southeastern Conference about joining. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1d88003a76df7d0a3c7e81cbc2430749/Texas%20vs%20Louisiana%20Tech%20EG%20DT%20TT%2011.jpg)
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. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9a3c382efcfb27f778abe9d3287983c7/ShelbyKnowles%20-%20Construction%20ST%20TT%2035.jpg)
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. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/157dbd5e021780130f55b3ad421776bb/02_ACC_Riverside_Community_College_MG.jpg)
Banks, the dean of the engineering school, will take over as the university deals with challenges related to the pandemic and a push to improve diversity initiatives after last summer's protests Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3bc7ae6c2e7df33e05db663ab629a183/TAMU%20Katherine%20Banks%20MF%20TT%2008.jpg)
Some schools are letting students have a full week off. Others are spreading out free days to discourage travel. And some plan on-campus alternatives to leaving for vacation. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/07f367fa9833a572ac72d6e6c732c3be/SPI%20COVID%2019%20Spring%20Break%20JG%20TT%2004.jpg)