The latest higher education news from The Texas Tribune.
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 Full Story
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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. Full Story
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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
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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
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to former state Rep. Pete Gallego about his first year as the president of his alma mater, Sul Ross State University in Alpine, and the challenges and opportunities ahead for higher ed as the state comes out of the pandemic. Full Story
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A student group was hosting an event with a UT-Austin professor about the song when a man entered the online Zoom call with his face covered, holding what appeared to be a large gun. Full Story
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Some senators opposed compensation within college athletics, but ultimately supported the legislation to maintain Texas' competitiveness in recruiting efforts as dozens of states consider similar measures. Full Story
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The university is starting a separate student marching band that will not perform at major university events or have a required repertoire of songs. Full Story
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One of the students sued by the teacher is the daughter of Allen Blakemore, a prominent conservative political consultant who has worked for state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who filed the tenure bill. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers have filed six bills that target transgender students’ sports participation — and two of those bills would affect colleges and university sports in addition to K-12. Full Story
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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
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The budget does not factor in over $35 billion in federal aid. Senators said they don't yet know when that money will come in and what strings could be attached. Full Story
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St. Edward’s is one of a handful of universities across the country to require the COVID-19 vaccine for students and faculty on campus as schools prepare for a more normal college experience this fall. Full Story
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The new emails reveal more powerful donors and alumni than were previously known who mobilized on the issue in June right after the student athletes went public with their demands to get rid of the song. Full Story
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Members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus said they are "unequivocal" about their opposition to UT-Austin's alma mater and have asked the university to reconsider getting rid of the song. Full Story
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Some students this summer called for a statue of the founder to be removed from campus and for the university itself to be renamed. Full Story
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As the Legislature grapples with a struggling pandemic economy and the impact of an unprecedented winter storm, higher education advocates are vying for lawmakers’ attention, trying to make the case for more investment in colleges and universities. Full Story
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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
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In recent months, the song has divided the university community. Over the summer, students protested and petitioned the university to rid the campus of the song, which has ties to minstrel shows. Full Story
Under Gov. Greg Abbott’s order, universities are able to choose whether they will retain and enforce mask-wearing and other COVID-19 safety measures. UT-Austin, Baylor, Southern Methodist University, Rice and the Texas A&M System are among those that will still require face masks. Full Story
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