UTSA signed a letter of intent to purchase the 18-story office building in early August to further expand its presence downtown.

The new policy says universities should remain neutral on “issues of the day” while allowing students, faculty and staff to express their ideas.

The UT System hopes to combine the two institutions by 2025, making it the third largest public research university in the state.

In an update to lawmakers, university system leaders expressed worries about how the ban might affect crucial applications for federal funds.

UT-Dallas is the second campus in Texas where Department of Public Safety troopers have made arrests while breaking up protests.

As administrators scramble to comply with new limits on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, students and faculty worry more tumult is coming.

The new state law prohibits public universities from having diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Students say schools are overcorrecting.

A lawsuit claims UT Tyler Health Science Center is trying to pull the veil of governmental immunity over doctors who do all of their work for a for-profit, private equity-backed health care system.

The guidance asks universities in the system to avoid using the acronym DEI on their websites and walk a fine line between organizing events that “support diversity in a general way” but don’t “promote preferential treatment of any particular group.”

The new medical facility, to be located in downtown Austin, will help expand the University of Texas System’s reputed cancer center outside of the Houston area.

This is the third year businesses in the Permian Basin — known for high school football and oil fields — have participated in the University of Texas at Austin program. Students this year say they are seeing their hometowns in a new way.

The university celebrated its decision to hire Kathleen McElroy to revive its journalism program. She says she’s staying at UT after she felt judged because of her race and gender.

The East Texas university says the FBI is investigating the cyberattack, which drew the school to a halt about 10 days ago, shutting down the internet and disrupting summer classes.

A new version of Senate Bill 18 scheduled for a hearing in the House Higher Education Committee on Monday would keep faculty tenure and direct university governing boards to establish policies to grant and revoke tenure.

A new version of Senate Bill 17 expected to be considered by the House’s Higher Education Committee on Monday would still ban DEI offices and prohibit required diversity training, but it would open the door for university boards of regents to approve such programs in certain circumstances.

The Civitas Institute was conceived with the help of conservative donors and state lawmakers to lead research and education based on free-market principles.

Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, has filed legislation that would establish The Civitas School of Civic and International Leadership as a formal college at the University of Texas at Austin.

The state has added more beds for jail inmates who need psychiatric treatment to be considered competent to face trial. But at least a third remain empty because the state can’t hire enough people to staff them.

The system leaders’ decision comes weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop considering diversity in their hiring practices. Texas A&M University also recently changed its hiring practices.

Community colleges want a funding overhaul this legislative session, and four-year universities are hoping for a boost in research funds. Meanwhile, faculty are bracing for a potential threat to tenure and limits to conversations about race.

The research teams are expected to focus on traumatic brain injury, stem cell research, drug development and anti-shock therapies.

Chris Beard was hired in 2021 and is one of the University of Texas’ highest-paid employees.

Regents said they chose the UT System because of its access to the Permanent University Fund, which consists of oil and gas assets.

The SFA Board of Regents is expected to decide whether to join a system before the end of the semester. The Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech and University of Texas systems have all expressed interest in adding the Nacogdoches school to their folds.

High-money donors are concentrated on larger boards, including those of the University of Texas System and Texas A&M University System.

The leaders of California’s and Texas’ iconic public university systems on the challenges and opportunities for higher ed in the nation’s most populous states.

The University of Texas at San Antonio is one of the least-expensive schools in the University of Texas System, while Texas A&M University-San Antonio is one of the most expensive in its system.

While the risk of exposure to monkeypox remains low, health experts say college students living in close proximity to each other could spur outbreaks. They encourage schools to share their plans and relevant information about the virus.

The University of Texas at Austin selected Justin Dyer to run The Civitas Institute, formerly referred to as the Liberty Institute. The center raised concerns among faculty after The Texas Tribune reported UT-Austin worked with conservative donors and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to bring the institute to the flagship UT campus.

The American Dream is getting more attainable for thousands of Texas families. On Monday, the University of Texas at San Antonio announced it’s expanding a program that makes college tuition-free for thousands of students.

The chancellor instructed universities and agencies in the system to dissolve all agreements, especially those related to academics, research and intellectual property.

The endowment will increase the number of students who qualify for free tuition and fees at UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, UT-El Paso, UT-Permian Basin, UT-Rio Grande Valley, UT-San Antonio and UT-Tyler.

Patrick’s declarations come days after the UT-Austin Faculty Council approved a measure reaffirming instructors’ right to teach about racial justice and critical race theory in the classroom.

The board must wait a state-mandated 21 days before the finalist is officially named the 10th president of UT-Arlington. If approved, Evans-Cowley will be the first female president at the university.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s note: This story is published through a partnership between the San Antonio Business Journal and KSAT. The University of Texas System’s board of regents approved multiple real estate transactions in support of UTSA’s planned downtown campus expansion. Among the deals approved is the University of Texas at San Antonio’s purchase of roughly 2 acres owned by Bexar County east of the campus between Dolorosa and West Nueva streets. UTSA plans to build a new college of business building on the site — adjacent to its new School of Data Science and the planned National Security Collaboration Center. Read the full story on the San Antonio Business Journal.

After a marathon 17-plus hour debate that started just after noon last Tuesday, the House finally gave its preliminary nod to its version of the state budget, so we start this week's playlist of the week’s news with “For the Love of Money” by The O’Jays.