Content about The University
In an unprecedented decision, the UT System Board of Regents declined part of the University’s recommendation to increase tuition at a meeting Thursday, but did not do so for any other UT System institution. The regents froze tuition for in-state undergraduates for the next two academic years and raised tuition for all other students.
Editor’s note: This story is the eighth in a series exploring race, racism and diversty on the UT campus.
The following stories are meant to be historical snapshots of the University of Texas at Austin through the stories of students and alumni. Their narratives do not serve as a comprehensive look at the University’s history, but instead are meant to remind us of the University’s racial context and to help us progress as a campus and a community.
UT System Board of Regents met Wednesday to discuss developments in new curriculum programs along with local real estate deals and the future of MyEdu. The meeting was one of about six regular meetings that occur each year. Today the regents are expected to set tuition for the next two academic years and to discuss the proposal for a UT Austin medical school.
Course Transformation
Tuition may be important enough for the UT System Board of Regents to talk about after all. Today marks the beginning of the board’s two-day meeting, and tuition has finally made the agenda.
Students and UT institutions alike have long awaited the board to address the issue, as many expected the regents to set tuition in March. The delay led to uncertainty regarding the cost of system schools.
The Native American and Indigenous Student Assembly hosted the first annual Uniting the Eagle and the Condor Symposium, a two-day event to address the issue of the lack of representation of Native American students on campus. Students and members of the community were invited to the symposium Friday, which was blessed by a Coahuiltecan elder. The symposium also included an indigenous and native student panel, an indigenous art show and a panel of keynote speakers from different tribes.
The University reached a multi-million dollar deal with Players restaurant to purchase its land near the UT AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center. Eventually the University may construct a building to house the graduate business program, according to University officials.
The University attempted to arrange a Monday meeting with the student-led Make UT Sweatshop-Free Coalition but prohibited coalition supporters from entering the president’s office Tuesday.
At 10 p.m. on April 20, Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly called coalition member Carson Chavana, a geography senior who was not arrested last Wednesday, to set up a Monday meeting between her and President William Powers Jr., Chavana said.
All 18 protesters arrested Wednesday in the lobby of President William Powers Jr.’s office were released from Austin Police Department custody Thursday morning and gathered on the Tower steps at noon to reiterate their message and rally support.
The protesters, who are members of the Make UT Sweatshop-Free Coalition, drew more than 50 people to the rally.
Update, 2:45 p.m.: According to the Make UT Sweatshop Free Coalition's Facebook group, all students have been released from jail. This afternoon, UT spokesman Gary Susswein said "Our position remains the sam as yesterday. The issue is closed."
Nineteen activists entered the President’s office Wednesday and began an afternoon-long protest that ended with UTPD arresting all protesters involved.
Update 11:39 p.m.: Story updated to reflect that 19 protesters, not all of them students, were part of the protest and were arrested.
Update 7:22 p.m.: The story has been updated to reflect developments and additional edits.
Update 5:24 p.m.: According to UTPD spokeswoman Cindy Posey, "approximately 20" protesters have been arrested.
For some students, roll call in a classroom is exactly what it sounds like — the reading of a name. However, for transgender students who identify by a different name than the one listed, roll call can open the door to being outed to classmates.
The UT System Board of Regents will not set tuition rates for the next two academic years at Thursday’s special called meeting, contrary to the expectations of University administrators.
The University’s tobacco use policy went up in smoke Wednesday afternoon with an email — with the spelling properly checked — declaring that the campus is now 100-percent tobacco-free. The move is a progressive step forward for UT, and the way it will be implemented reflects careful consideration of how the change will affect various members of the community.
After years of heated debate over the use of tobacco on campus, UT announced Wednesday it will prohibit the use of tobacco products on all University property effective this month.
The UT Board of Regents approved the new tobacco policy on Monday, making UT the fourth institution under the UT System to implement a ban.
In order to avoid the sometimes inevitable collision between bikers and pedestrians, a group is working to make UT-Austin a more pedestrian and cyclist friendly campus.
The University is wasting little time plowing ahead with plans to dramatically increase its four-year graduation rates.
Late last month, the College of Liberal Arts sent an email to all of its students notifying them that the online system for declaring a major will be “deactivated indefinitely” by the end of March. Now liberal arts students have to speak with their advisers before doing so.
With UT’s help, some migrant students follow both the harvest and their academic dreams.
The University’s Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program, a service provided by the K-16 Education Center, marked its 25th year on Monday with a ceremony honoring 40 high school migrant students who completed distance learning courses through the program, said Linda L. Glessner, executive director of the department of Continuing and Innovative education.
The University’s School of Journalism is making big changes to keep up.
“The digital media revolution is a runaway rocket ship,” said the school’s director, Glenn Frankel. “The best you can do is to see the trajectory. You can’t get in front of it.”
The University reinstated formerly disqualified candidates Madison Gardner and running mate Antonio Guevara as Student Government executive alliance candidates Monday. Gardner dropped his lawsuit against UT after the reinstatement.
From the recent city council decision to ban disposable bags to Ted Nugent’s endorsement of Mitt Romney for president, these are among our favorite quotes from the past several days.
Federal court officials in San Antonio created five congressional House districts in Travis County on Tuesday, outlined by newly drawn maps.
The University's forced resignation of two former administrators falls under University employment rules that give the president the power to hire and fire. However, a vice president took the dismissal action against the Texas Student Media director instead of President William Powers Jr.
Students living on campus depend on the $1,700 that the Division of Housing and Food Services provides to feed them. They need a meal plan that is versatile in hours, diverse in options and, most importantly, that will last until the end of the year. Unfortunately, campus dining fails at all of these criteria. If UT wants to present a viable option for student dining, it must provide better hours, fairer pricing and more Bevo Bucks.
Students at the University are petitioning for on-campus gender neutral housing options targeted at students who don’t adopt traditional gender identities.
Members of StandOut, a student organization that promotes queer political activism, launched a petition for “gender inclusive housing” at UT last week. Gender neutral housing, which is becoming increasingly common nationwide, would provide students with the opportunity to room with whomever they want, regardless of sex or gender.
President William Powers Jr. fired a senior UT Department of Athletics official on the basis of a sexual harassment complaint, according University documents that surfaced last week.
