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Raga Justin covered higher education at The Texas Tribune in 2020. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Raga has worked as a reporting fellow at the Tribune, a reporting intern in the Houston Chronicle’s Austin bureau, and a news desk editor and city and state reporter for The Daily Texan. She was also a journalism coach for the Moody College of Communication’s writing program and the board chair of media and public relations for the Indian Students Association.
Students grappling with financial upsets and a hurting economy say tuition should be lowered at their Texas universities. But some colleges are adding new fees related to an increase in distance learning. Full Story
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The Texas State Employees Union presented a petition that condemns the upcoming return to campus in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic as harmful. Classes start Wednesday. Full Story
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Some faculty members call the pressure to return to face-to-face instruction a callous decision that prioritizes money and the college experience over the safety of the university community. Full Story
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The decision comes a month after the Barbers Hill Independent School District board of trustees voted to keep the dress code policy, which advocates have deemed racist. Full Story
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This comes after the Pac-12 and the Big 10 said that they would postpone college football until at least the spring. Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey signaled Tuesday that the conference that includes Texas A&M will play this fall. Full Story
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Economists said canceling football would be devastating to local businesses that rely on the huge influxes of cash from home games. Meanwhile, athletics officials weigh whether they can risk the health and welfare of student athletes. Full Story
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Without approval from the Texas Legislature, Texas A&M University leaders cannot remove the Lawrence Sullivan Ross statue on campus, Paxton said Friday. If they decide to relocate it, it must be in a "prominent" location, he added. Full Story
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It's impossible to foretell the coronavirus pandemic's full financial impact on state universities, public and private, but some have already faced millions in lost revenue and unexpected costs. Things will only get worse. Full Story
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Texas schools in the Big 12 and SEC are still planning to play this fall. Full Story
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While some universities nationwide and in Texas are still refusing to disclose coronavirus cases, UT-Austin set up a digital dashboard allowing community members to see updated student, faculty and staff cases. But the transparency has already proven to be a double-edged sword. Full Story
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