Higher education

Texas Southern University regents link president's ouster to alleged admissions improprieties

by Shannon Najmabadi

The board's statement does not directly tie President Austin Lane to the alleged problems but says he was interviewed before he was placed on leave. Full Story 

Texas Southern University's president placed on administrative leave without explanation

by Shannon Najmabadi

Texas Southern University President Austin Lane told a local news station he did nothing wrong and expects to be fully reinstated or else paid out for the remainder of his contract. Full Story 

UT-Austin acknowledges 17 cases of sexual misconduct by employees

by Shannon Najmabadi

Under pressure to more fully account for sexual misconduct cases, the university released a summary of violations over the past two years. The list includes three faculty members. Full Story 

Texas A&M University president applied for a job at University of Colorado

by Shannon Najmabadi

The president of the University of Texas at El Paso and the former Texas Tech University System chancellor were also on the short list for the top position at the University of Colorado System. Full Story 

Revisit some of The Texas Tribune’s best stories of 2019

by Corrie MacLaggan

Our reporters crisscrossed the Texas Capitol and traveled to the Panhandle and East Texas — as well as the Netherlands and Honduras — to tell stories about the state's politics, people and places. From a story on a migrant's desperate journey to a look at how coal companies are leaving behind contaminated land, here is a selection of their best work of the year. Full Story 

Nestled in a poor Dallas neighborhood, Paul Quinn College aims to be a national model for overcoming poverty

by Carrington Tatum

A historically black college that was once on the brink of closure is combining work requirements and academics in hopes of discovering new solutions to poverty. Full Story 

Accusations of shoddy hiring practices dog Texas State University police

by Shannon Najmabadi

The school's former police chief and his top deputy were accused of hiring unqualified officers to patrol the San Marcos campus — including one who allegedly slept with a sexual assault victim while investigating her case — university records show. Full Story 

University of North Texas is opening a cafeteria without milk, eggs, wheat and more. It's free of most food allergens.

by Bill Zeeble, KERA News

UNT says its university cafeteria is the first in the state to offer food without the eight most common food allergens. Full Story 

Two UT-Austin professors disciplined for sexual misconduct were allowed to resume teaching. Students want to know why.

by Shannon Najmabadi and Tiana Woodard

The incidents have fueled a growing protest movement on campus, with students demanding more transparency in the university's handling of sexual misconduct cases. "We don't know who we're in the classroom with," one student said. Full Story 

UT-Austin investigating former procurement official

by Shannon Najmabadi

The former assistant vice president is the second University of Texas official to face scrutiny in recent months for allegedly running afoul of the university’s financial processes. He now holds a similar position with Austin ISD. Full Story 

UT System increases tuition 2.6% for all campuses for 2020 and 2021

by Shannon Najmabadi

Chancellor J.B. Milliken said 2.6% is the rate of inflation in the higher education sector. UT institutions have increased tuition between 0.1% and 8.5% in recent years. Full Story 

Watch: Conversations on the future of urban Texas

by Texas Tribune Events Staff

We're livestreaming our two-day event in Houston exploring the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Texas' largest cities. Full Story 

Texas Tech football coach defends his role in Utah State sexual assault scandal

by Shannon Najmabadi

A federal lawsuit filed this month alleges Coach Matt Wells failed to respond to sexual assault allegations. Full Story 

University of North Texas legal staffer resigns after using racist slur during a free speech panel

by Carrington Tatum

Assistant General Counsel Caitlin Sewell was speaking about speech protected by the First Amendment when she used the word. People in attendance vocally expressed offense. Full Story 

U.S. Department of Education reviewing Texas State University's compliance with a federal crime-reporting statute

by Shannon Najmabadi

The move comes after the university acknowledged it under-reported the number of rapes and other crimes on campus in recent years. Texas State's president told students Thursday that the school is cooperating with the federal agency and has already made reforms. Full Story 

Top Texas GOP donor resigns from company after copping to conduit contributions

by Patrick Svitek

James Dannenbaum, president and CEO of the high-powered Dannenbaum Engineering, was charged with a scheme to get employees to donate to three congressional candidates in 2017. Full Story 

Watch: A conversation on veterans and workforce development

by Texas Tribune Staff

We're livestreaming our conversation in San Antonio on veterans and workforce development, moderated by Tribune CEO Evan Smith. Full Story 

2 dead, at least 14 wounded after shooting at party in Greenville, Texas

by The Texas Tribune

Brandon Ray Gonzales, 23, was arrested Monday on a capital murder charge. The suspect is being held at the county jail with bail set at $1 million. Full Story 

At 69, she's still paying off $12,000 of student debt — including out of her Social Security checks. It isn't just a millennial problem.

by Shannon Najmabadi

About 222,140 Texans ages 60 and older had student loan debt in 2017, carrying a median load of $15,754, according to government data. Full Story 

Texas A&M System employees were asked to teach office pet birds to say “howdy.” It didn’t go well.

by Shannon Najmabadi

A few parakeets that seemed to cause most of the consternation were swiftly removed and the birds that remain are well-liked by employees, a System spokesperson said. Full Story