The funding deal would reportedly ask the university to adopt a stricter definition of gender and a tuition freeze, among other conditions.
Jessica Priest
Jessica Priest covers higher education, working in partnership with Open Campus. She joined the Tribune in 2022 as an engagement reporter in the ProPublica/Texas Tribune joint investigative unit, contributing to a series that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the explanatory reporting category. Prior to the Tribune, Jessica worked for the Fort Worth Report, USA Today, the Victoria Advocate and the Temple Daily Telegram, reporting on topics that included criminal justice, the environment and local government. Her work has often made an impact. The state’s highest criminal court granted a death row inmate a new trial after she detailed a prosecutor’s conflicts of interest. After she exposed questionable hirings and payments at a port and later a water district in another part of the state, both public entities underwent reforms. Jessica was born in Houston and graduated from Sam Houston State University.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas Tech’s limits on gender identity discussion deepen fears of politics breaching academic freedom
Professors are afraid to publicly speak out, system leaders left key questions unanswered and advocates worry for LGBTQ+ students’ mental health.
Posted in
Health care
Angelo State University bans classroom discussions of transgender identities, stirring criticism and confusion
Instead of a campus-wide announcement, faculty members say the restrictions have trickled down through department chairs and college meetings.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M President Mark A. Welsh III to step down after a week of turmoil over viral classroom video
Calls for Welsh’s ousting intensified over his handling of a student’s complaints about gender identity discussions in a children’s literature class.
Posted in
Politics
How a secret recording of a gender identity lecture upended Texas A&M
Officials have struggled to detail the exact reasons for the A&M professor’s termination, citing a technical issue with her course description. Faculty say the move was politically motivated.
Posted in
Higher Education
Regents name new Texas A&M International University president
Christopher Maynard will be the next leader of the Laredo university.
Posted in
Higher Education
Faculty, advocacy groups fear Texas A&M firing threatens academic freedom
The firing happened over two years after Texas A&M stressed its support for academic freedom and amid a changing higher education landscape.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M professor fired after viral video disputes termination
An attorney for Melissa McCoul, seen in a video clashing with a student over gender-identity content in her class, said the professor is weighing her legal options.
Posted in
Higher Education
Video of clash over gender-identity content in Texas A&M children’s lit class leads to firing, removals
After the video fueled outrage, a professor was fired and two college leaders removed from their administrative roles for approving content inconsistent with the course’s description.
Posted in
Higher Education
Sen. Brandon Creighton’s switch from lawmaking to Texas Tech leader signals a new era for higher ed
More Texas universities are turning to politicians to lead their systems, preferring political clout over academic credentials.