Texas Tech and UT-El Paso ended up on opposite ends of the spectrum in how they approached the fall semester, facing the unprecedented educational and safety challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both universities are planning more of the same in the spring.
Higher Education
Coverage of universities, colleges, student issues, and education policy shaping Texas’ campuses, from The Texas Tribune.
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Reopening Texas Universities
Texas enrollment and FAFSA applications down, as education leaders worry pandemic is disrupting college plans
National data shows just 24% of Texas high school seniors have filled out federal financial aid forms, a nearly 15% decline from the same time last year.
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Higher Education
Texas A&M President Michael Young says he’ll retire on Dec. 31 instead of May
System Chancellor John Sharp is recommending John L. Junkins, distinguished professor of Aerospace Engineering, as interim president.
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Advancing racial equality and economic opportunity in Texas
Bank of America commits $25 million to enhance up-skilling and reskilling for Black and Hispanic-Latino individuals, including $2.65 million for students in Texas.
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Higher Education
UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell poised to make $1.25 million annually
The salary is still pending final approval by the UT System Board of Regents, who meet this week.
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Reopening Texas Universities
As Texas universities prepare to send thousands of students home for the holidays, few are requiring COVID-19 safety precautions
Few Texas universities — some of which have been identified as coronavirus hot spots — have explicitly encouraged students to quarantine for 14 days before Thanksgiving or required exit testing, despite staggering rises in case counts across the state and country.
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Coronavirus in Texas
This immunocompromised student fears his own college town during the pandemic
In the weekend edition of The Brief podcast, hear from a student who says that because he’s immunocompromised, he’s worried that students aren’t taking the pandemic seriously when off campus, making him feel trapped in his home.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Despite rising COVID-19 cases, universities including Texas Tech and Texas A&M are planning in-person fall graduations
Multiple Texas universities are planning in-person graduation ceremonies this December, despite the fact that the state’s daily COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations are higher today than they were in May when most universities first scrambled to cancel the celebratory events.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas A&M’s football game postponed after player, staffer test positive for COVID-19
Texas A&M confirmed the new cases as football programs across the country continue to face postponements and cancellations while trying to finish the season during a pandemic.
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College athletics face unique challenges in 2020
From COVID-19 to social unrest, this year’s events put college athletics front and center. As universities nationwide have worked to bring sports back safely, Texas A&M officials share how they’re working to support student-athletes.
