“The recent challenges regarding Dr. McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately,” Banks wrote in her resignation letter. “The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.”
Higher Education
Coverage of universities, colleges, student issues, and education policy shaping Texas’ campuses, from The Texas Tribune.
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Higher Education
Texas A&M president says she didn’t know about job offer changes that led to professor’s botched hiring
M. Katherine Banks told faculty she was unaware of successive, diminished offers to Kathleen O. McElroy, who was recruited to revive a journalism program. Professors demanded an investigation.
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Economy
Nearly 64,000 Texas borrowers will have their federal loans forgiven
A U.S. Department of Education review identified 804,000 borrowers across the country with loans taken more than two decades ago and whose debts should have been canceled but were not because of “administrative failures.”
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Higher Education
Texas A&M interim dean resigns after university backtracks on hiring professor to revive journalism program
José Luis Bermúdez, who led the school’s College of Arts and Sciences, will leave his position after a deal to hire respected journalist Kathleen O. McElroy fell apart amid conservative pushback.
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Higher Education
A&M faculty leaders decry “appearance of outside influence” in botched hiring of journalism professor
The university announced the hiring of Kathleen McElroy, a Black former New York Times journalist, but later backtracked on its offer amid conservative pushback.
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Higher Education
Professors sue Texas over TikTok ban, signaling First Amendment fight
The professors said the ban immediately halted research projects into TikTok and derailed their plans to lead classes discussing the social media app’s benefits and risks.
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Higher Education
University of North Texas can charge out-of-state students higher tuition than undocumented Texans, appeals court rules
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a federal judge’s previous injunction that barred the college from charging out-of-state American citizens more than undocumented immigrants living in the state.
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Higher Education
Texas A&M recruited a UT professor to revive its journalism program, then backtracked after “DEI hysteria”
The university celebrated its decision to hire Kathleen McElroy to revive its journalism program. She says she’s staying at UT after she felt judged because of her race and gender.
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Higher Education
Race-based college admissions are now banned, but Texas schools still have ways to ensure campuses are diverse
Higher education experts say universities can implement other strategies like targeted recruitment in underserved communities, eliminating legacy admissions and getting rid of test requirements.
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Economy
Help us report on how the return of student loan repayments will affect Texans
Student loan repayments are set to resume in October. If you’re a Texas student loan borrower, tell us how this will affect you.
