Content about spokesman
Update at 5:42 p.m. on 5/10/2012: President William Powers Jr. has released a statement. "I love the University of Texas, and it's an honor to serve as its president. I am deeply grateful for the support of our students, faculty, staff and the thousands of members of the UT family," Powers said. "I will continue to work with the entire UT community to move the university forward.
BEIRUT — Syrian forces stormed student dormitories during an anti-government protest at Aleppo University Thursday, firing tear gas and bullets in an hours-long siege that killed at least four students and forced the closure of the state-run school, activists said.U.N. truce observers toured other restive parts of the country, and residents told them of being too terrified to walk on the streets after dark as the 14-month-old uprising rages on. The U.N.
BEIJING — The blind Chinese dissident who boldly fled house arrest and placed himself under the wing of U.S. diplomats balked Wednesday at a deal delicately worked out between the two countries to let him live freely in China, saying he now fears for his family’s safety unless they are all spirited abroad.
University spokesman Gary Susswein says that President William Powers Jr. does not want to meet with any of the 18 students who were arrested during the April 18 sit-in because Powers does not want to “reward criminal behavior,” according to The Daily Texan.
NEW YORK — Authorities say an out-of-control van plunged off a roadway near the Bronx Zoo in New York City, killing seven people, including three children.
Fire Department spokesman Jim Long say the victims were an 84-year-old man; three women, ages 80, 45 and 30; and three girls, ages 12, 10 and 7. Long says they were all in the van.
The Austin Police Department has enlisted the help of the UT Police Department to stop a string of West Campus burglaries hoping to gain crime tips from students who read Campus Watch announcements.
APD spokesman Anthony Hipolito said there were 10 burglaries of West Campus residences from February 26 to April 16.
BEIRUT — U.N. observers on Thursday inspected the site of an explosion that flattened a block of houses in the central Syrian city of Hama and killed at least 16 people, while the government and the opposition traded blame over the cause of the blast.
The student-led Make UT Sweatshop-Free Coalition demanded to speak with President William Powers Jr. during their April 18 sit-in, and the administration has responded by locking students out of the President’s office while also offering to meet with select members of the group.
Editor’s note: Last week, 18 members of the Make UT Sweatshop-Free Coalition protested the University’s affiliation with the Fair Labor Association, a group that monitors working conditions. The protesters demanded that the University switch membership to the Worker Rights Consortium. After protesting outside of President William Powers Jr.’s office in the Main Building for hours, they were arrested for trespassing by UT Police Department.
Point: Putting the demands into perspective
RUBKONA, South Sudan — Sudanese warplanes bombed a market and an oil field in South Sudan on Monday, killing at least two people after Sudanese ground forces had reportedly crossed into South Sudan with tanks and artillery, elevating the risk of all-out war between the two old enemies.
The international community urged Sudan and South Sudan to talk out their disputes, which include arguments over where the border lies and over ownership of oil resources.
KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. and Afghanistan reached a deal Sunday on a long-delayed strategic partnership agreement that ensures Americans will provide military and financial support for at least a decade beyond 2014, the deadline for most foreign forces to withdraw.
The pact is key to the U.S. exit strategy in Afghanistan because it provides guidelines for any American forces who remain after the withdrawal deadline and for financial help to the impoverished country and its security forces.
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.
UT spokesman Gary Susswein speaks with a reporter about the protestors’ claims of substandard conditions in factories producing UT apparel. Susswein said that according to President Powers the case is closed.
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.
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.
A recent report from the Office of the Medical Examiner revealed more information about the suicide of James Loren Brown who is a suspect in several assaults as well as the Jan. 1 murder of Esme Barrera.
Brown died from asphyxiation by placing a plastic bag over his head, said Austin Police Department spokesman Anthony Hipolito.
Austin Police Department officers responded to a 9-1-1 call Sunday reporting a deceased person in a parking garage near the Dobie Center.
The call was placed at 4:10 p.m. on Sunday reporting a dead body spotted at 2000 Whitis Avenue, said APD spokesman Anthony Hipolito. Hipolito said that the incident is under investigation by homicide detectives from APD.
LONDON — Every email to your child. Every status update for your friends. Every message to your mistress. The U.K. government is preparing proposals for a nationwide electronic surveillance network that could potentially keep track of every message sent by any Brit to anyone at any time, an industry official briefed on the government’s moves said Sunday.
The Austin Police Department recorded an increase in DWIs issued in the West Campus area during Roundup last weekend, and the overall number of police reports filed went down slightly.
APD officers addressed concerns with parties at several fraternity houses in West Campus, including ones at Kappa Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Phi Epsilon, according to APD spokesman Anthony Hipolito.
A development in the federal investigation that shut down eight Austin nightclubs will cause four defendants in the case to be kept in federal custody pending their trial.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The leaders of at least four states plan a visit to the only place where a beef product known as “pink slime” is still made to support its embattled manufacturer, a company spokesman said Tuesday.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry will visit the one Beef Products Inc. plant that’s still in operation to combat misconceptions and misinformation about the company and its “lean, finely textured beef” product, company spokesman Rich Jochum said.
A court hearing on Tuesday will determine whether 10 defendants connected with Yassine Enterprises and charged with various counts of money laundering and illegal drug distributiond will be kept in federal custody before their trial.
Austin Police Department and University administrators took extra precautions to ensure student safety at Roundup, the annual Greek philanthropy and social event. Despite such efforts, the event included a violent altercation at 25th and Leon Street, Friday at midnight.
APD spokesman Anthony Hipolito said the stabbing was non-lethal and occurred outside of a fraternity house in West Campus. Although officials have not confirmed if the stabbing is connected to Roundup, fraternity houses Pi Kappa Alpha, Omicron and Sigma Alpha Mu are all in the area.
An individual was stabbed around midnight at 25th and Leon Streets outside of a fraternity house, Austin Police confirmed.
Ten Austin area residents connected with Yassine Enterprises, operator of several Austin night club venues, were arrested yesterday in a federal investigation related to drug and money laundering charges.
