Texas universities trying to earn the coveted Carnegie “R1” title might be closer than before after a major overhaul this week.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already short supply of therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers.

During a Texas Tribune event on higher education, panelists also spoke about using the state’s historic surplus to improve the affordability of universities and keep rising costs down.

Evan Smith, CEO of The Texas Tribune. (Audio unavailable. Click here to listen on texastribune.org.) In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and co-director of Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, about mask mandates, vaccine availability, reopening schools and businesses, and the trajectory of the pandemic.

It would be too risky to operate amid the rapid spread of the new coronavirus, he said. That has patients and health care providers alike asking the same question: How long is the coronavirus pandemic going to last and demand social isolation? “I'm 69 years old so I'm also cautious because I do not want to get the virus at my age.”For now, McDeavitt said healthcare providers have to focus on managing the situation at hand. Dr. Douglas Curran, former president of the Texas Medical Association, added that immunizations shouldn’t be delayed for too long either. Baylor and the Texas Children’s Hospital urged pregnant women on Friday to keep medical appointments unless otherwise advised.