Sticker Shaka: Costs Mount in UT Basketball Coaching Change
Buyouts for Rick Barnes and Shaka Smart could force the Longhorns to pay $2.5 million. Full Story
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Matthew Watkins began serving as editor in chief of the Tribune in September 2024. Matthew is a Texas native, born in Houston and raised in Austin. He attended public schools and graduated from Texas A&M University. He’s spent nearly two decades in Texas journalism, and previously worked at The Eagle in Bryan-College Station and The Dallas Morning News. Matthew joined the Tribune in 2015 has held various roles, including higher education reporter, breaking news editor and politics editor. As a managing editor, Matthew has guided the Tribune’s award-winning journalism and other reporting of statewide significance, including coverage of elections and legislative sessions to major breaking news and ambitious storytelling about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas-Mexico border, the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, the impeachment of Texas attorney general and battles over public education. He lives in Austin with his wife, Susan, and their two children.
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![New UT basketball coach Shaka Smart.]()
Credit: Rickster2/T. Wiseman / A. Miscoe / Bill Oriani -
Cruz Offers to Speak at Texas A&M International Graduation
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has approached Texas A&M International University about speaking at the Laredo college's spring commencement, the A&M System confirmed Thursday. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz holding a press conference at the Anzalduas International Bridge in Mission surrounded by a group of local ranchers who said they've been affected by poor border security.]()
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Huston-Tillotson University Names New President
Colette Pierce Burnette will be the first woman to run the private school since Tillotson College and Samuel Huston College merged in 1952. Full Story
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![Colette Pierce Burnette was named president of Huston-Tillotson University in Austin.]()
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UH to Pay $135,000 for McConaughey Speech
Call it the Houston Buyers Club: The University of Houston is paying $135,000 plus travel expenses to get Matthew McConaughey to speak at its spring commencement. The actor is donating the money to charity. Full Story
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![Matthew McConaughey at the Austin Club in Austin, Texas on Feb. 5, 2015.]()
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Grand Jury Recommends UT Regent's Removal
In an unusual, strongly worded report, a Travis County grand jury recommended this week that University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall be removed from office. Full Story
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![UT Regent Wallace Hall on April 28, 2014. Lawmakers admonished and censured Hall, who was waging a personal investigation into lawmaker influence in the UT-Austin admissions process.]()
Credit: Charlie Pearce for The Texas Tribune -
Zachry Group to Donate $25 Million to Texas A&M Engineering
Zachry Group, a San Antonio-based construction and engineering firm, is donating $25 million to Texas A&M University’s engineering college, aiming to help the college's plans to become the country's largest engineering school. Full Story
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![Texas A&M University]()
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A&M's Outsourcing Plans Have Workers Concerned
Texas A&M University officials say that a plan to outsource support services would help the university raise $260 million in the next 10 years. But staff members who perform those services are expressing concerns. Full Story
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![Landscaping workers are among the Texas A&M University employees who will have to join an outside company, because A&M is outsourcing its support services.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond