Federal judge halts enforcement of new state law amid free speech lawsuit brought by students
The new law, called the "Campus Protection Act," requires student groups to get the university's permission before inviting guest speakers to campus, among other restrictions. Students have raised concerns that these changes limit their free speech.
Texas colleges slated to lose nearly $60M in grants for Hispanic-Serving Institutions
According to a Texas Public Radio analysis of the grants the U.S. Department of Education said it was withholding, Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Texas received 98 grants worth a combined $57.7 million last year.
Students and professors defend Texas A&M President Mark Welsh amid calls for his ousting
Some lawmakers have called for Welsh to be fired over his handling of a student’s complaints about gender identity content being taught in a children’s literature class.
Video of clash over gender-identity content in Texas A&M children’s lit class leads to firings
After the video fueled outrage, two college leaders were removed from their administrative roles for approving plans to teach content inconsistent with the course’s published description.
Alleged Chinese hacker arrested, accused of stealing COVID-19 research from Texas universities
Xu Zewei, 33, was arrested last week in Italy at the request of the U.S., according to the DOJ. He is accused of compromising thousands of computers. Zhang Yu, 44, is accused as a co-defendant and remains at large.
Civil rights groups sue to restore Texas Dream Act after federal judge blocks it
The Texas Dream Act, the first of its kind in the nation, extended in-state tuition at public colleges and universities to students without legal immigration status. The Justice Department sued Texas, calling the law unconstitutional. Texas' attorney general, and a federal judge, agreed.
Texas directs public universities to identify undocumented students
The directive comes after a court rescinded undocumented students’ eligibility for in-state tuition. It’s unclear what information schools might ask from students and how their immigration data will be protected.
Once again targeting higher ed, Texas lawmakers limited faculty influence, campus speech this session
Lawmakers also approved direct pay for student athletes and sought better pathways from college to the workforce.
Undocumented students ask judge to let them challenge sudden loss of in-state tuition
Their filing says the lawsuit that struck down in-state tuition for undocumented students was “contrived” to keep their voices out.
Texas colleges face uncertainty after ruling ends in-state tuition for students without legal status
For more than 20 years, students in Texas could qualify for lower, in-state tuition at public colleges regardless of immigration status if they lived in the state for at least three years and graduated from a Texas high school or earned a GED. That changed this week.
Houston Public Media