Texas A&M Board of Regents names Mark Welsh III sole finalist for president
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents named the former dean and four-star general as the sole finalist for president Friday. Many believe Welsh is the right person to move the university forward after a pair of controversies bruised the schoolโs morale.
Texas A&M Systemโs guidance on the stateโs DEI ban shows compliance might be a hard needle to thread
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 โsupport diversity in a general wayโ but donโt โpromote preferential treatment of any particular group.โ
Suspended Texas A&M professor denies saying Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick believes overdose victims โdeserve to dieโ
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham alleged Wednesday that opioids expert Joy Alonzo told students in a guest lecture that โYour Lt. Governor says those kids deserve to die.โ Alonzo denied the claims.
Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in lecture
The professor, an expert on the opioids crisis, was placed on paid administrative leave and investigated, raising questions about the extent of political interference in higher education, particularly in health-related matters.
Texas colleges offer job training for students with disabilities. Hereโs how to use those programs.
Students with disabilities can succeed in college with the right kind of help. There are programs that can support them. The programs help them live on their own, find jobs, and make a difference where they live.
How Republicansโ threats to tenure and diversity might undercut their own efforts to advance Texasโ universities
Texas lawmakers are poised to create a new multibillion-dollar endowment to boost emerging research universities in national rankings. But faculty members say banning diversity offices and tenure would stymie those efforts.
Texas A&M students protest after president ends print publication of 129-year-old Battalion newspaper
The student newspaper will continue as an online-only news organization after the spring semester. But the universityโs unilateral decision to end the print edition without student input has students and faculty concerned about its editorial independence.
Texas scientists search for potentially virulent new omicron COVID-19 variant as state health officials push vaccination
So much is unknown about the new COVID-19 variant: the severity of the illness it causes, whether it can resist vaccines and natural antibodies and whether itโs more contagious than the delta variant that has burned through Texas and the U.S. for months.
Researchers Discover Treatment That May Be Viable For Human Brain Cancer
A team of researchers at Texas A&M University, Northwestern University, and ImmunoGenesis has discovered a treatment for glioblastoma that has promising implications for the human version of the aggressive cancer form that grows in the brain.
Texas A&M Prof: Afghan Soldiers โNot Willing To Dieโ For The U.S-Backed Government
Texas A&M Today spoke with Gregory Gause, professor of international affairs at Texas A&M Universityโs Bush School of Government and Public Service, about the collapse of the Afghanistan government to the Taliban.
This Jellyfish Can Defy Death And Turn Back Time
Turritopsis dohrnii, the so-called โimmortal jellyfish,โ can revert to an earlier developmental stage when injured or otherwise threatened. She said that in a few days, that cyst changes into a polyp and eventually these colonies form buds and a new jellyfish. โSo by studying transdifferentiation in T. dohrnii, we can better understand how transdifferentiation works in general.โShe said the process of transdifferentiation is poorly understood. Researchers are analyzing jellyfish for their possible treatments in muscular diseases, genetic disorders and even memory aids. โFrom a scientific point of view, jellyfish are very simple invertebrates that have weird and unique life cycles and capabilities,โ Miglietta said.
COVID-19 UK variant found in animals for the first time by Texas A&M researchers
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas โ Editorโs Note: This article was published through a partnership between Texas A&M University and KSAT. Testing In TexasTexas has long led the charts in the number of SARS-CoV-2 animal infections, owing in large part to the Texas A&M COVID-19 & Pets study, in which researchers go to the homes of people recently diagnosed with COVID-19 to test their pets. People with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 should avoid contact with pets and other animals to protect them from infection and illness. AdAt this time, routine animal testing for COVID-19 is not recommended, according to the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC). Those who have recently tested positive in the Brazos Valley, Texas, region and would like to participate in the research by having their pets tested can learn more at the COVID-19 & Pets research webpage.
Some Texas colleges keep spring break while others adapt due to pandemic concerns
People gathered on the beach in front of Claytonโs Beach Bar during spring break on South Padre Island on Wednesday. In the early weeks of the pandemic in March 2020, colleges across the state extended spring break and then moved to online-only classes afterwards largely due to initial fears about facilitating the spread of the coronavirus. AdBut spring break for many is now coinciding with Gov. AdโWith spring break, the biggest high risks are going to be people who are young adults,โ Cervantes said. โWe encourage you to make good decisions during spring break, just as you did during winter break, and follow the universityโs public health guidance: wWear a mask (double up!
Several Texas college campuses to keep mask mandates after governorโs order
Graduates at a Texas A&M University's commencement ceremony at Reed Arena in College Station in December. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas TribuneNeed to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Greg Abbott announced that he will lift the statewide mask mandate and other COVID-19 restrictions starting Wednesday. Austin Community College, Baylor University, Paris Junior College, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, Southwestern University, the Texas A&M University System, Trinity University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at El Paso are keeping their current COVID-19 guidelines โ which include mask mandates โ in place. Disclosure: Baylor University, Lamar University, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at El Paso and University of Houston have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M engineering dean M. Katherine Banks named sole finalist for president
M. Katherine Banks, dean of the Texas A&M engineering school, has been named the sole finalist for president of the flagship university. M. Katherine Banks, dean of the college of engineering at Texas A&M University, has been named the sole finalist for president of the flagship university based in College Station after a national search. AdIf approved, Banks will become the second woman president in Texas A&M history after Elsa Murano, who served in the role from 2008 to 2009. Texas A&M is one of a kind and thereโs nowhere else Iโd rather be.โBanks also oversees the Texas A&M Systemโs engineering programs. AdWhen Banks started at Texas A&M, the engineering college had a little more than 11,000 students.
Dwindling food, flooded halls, unflushable toilets: Texasโ university dorms descend into chaos during winter storm
โI feel like Iโm in hell, like Iโm in prison,โ said Texas State University freshman Nicholas Ware, who spent three days without heat and power until Wednesday evening. Anh Adams, another freshman at Texas State, was forced to evacuate her dorm Monday morning after a pipe burst on the floor above her. Texas State officials did not return a request for comment. At Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, students have been without water, which has limited their access to toilets. โPeople have just assumed that that's not something they need to worry about right now.โAdDisclosure: Facebook, Sam Houston State University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
โRyan will never be forgottenโ: Boerne native, member of Texas A&M Corps of Cadets dies
Ryan Boles, a member of the Corps of Cadets, has died, Texas A&M University confirmed. Image: Texas A&M Corps of CadetsSAN ANTONIO โ A Texas A&M University student from Boerne who was a member of the Corps of Cadets has died, according to the university. Ryan Boles, who was a freshman political science major, died on Sunday, according to the Corps of Cadets and Texas A&M Today. It is with extreme sadness I confirm the death of cadet Ryan Boles โ24, a member of the Corps of Cadets. Boles was a member of the Squadron 8 and was also a member of the Fish Drill Team, according to the Corps of Cadets.
Texas A&M again delays decision on moving Sul Ross statue, as committee warns inaction will damage university
The Texas A&M University community has continued to debate whether to move the Sul Ross statue. On Monday, the system Board of Regents approved yet another task force to determine how to tell A&Mโs history through symbols on campus. The new โaction orientedโ task force will present their recommendations to the president and board this summer. Instead, many Texas universities decided to address diversity and inclusion issues by investing in diversity training, scholarships and professional development to boost diversity. For her, another task force just further proves to her that university leaders are prioritizing donors, while also โsaving faceโ with the financial investment.
UT-Austin keeping most classes virtual through January as coronavirus infections soar in Travis County
The flagship university is keeping most classes online through January as coronavirus infections soar in Travis County. The University of Texas at Austin is shifting more spring semester classes completely online through the end of January as COVID-19 cases continue to ravage the city and state. When UT-Austin shifted entirely online the week of Thanksgiving, average daily cases hovered around 240 in Travis County. Texas A&M University is also requiring students who live on campus to get tested within the first week of classes, on or before Jan 22. Disclosure: Rice University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M investigating โlarge scaleโ cheating case as universities see more academic misconduct in era of online classes
The University of North Texas saw a 20% increase, and Texas State University saw reports of cheating increase by one-third over the previous fall. According to Powersโ email, Texas A&Mโs online learning platform, Canvas, tracks how long test questions are displayed on a studentโs screen. According to its honor code, Chegg prohibits cheating and will share user information and activity with universities if they suspect foul play. Davenport said thereโs even websites where students can pay someone to take their entire online class for them. Thereโs something questionable there.โDisclosure: Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Austin and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
UT, Texas A&M urge students to get tested for COVID-19 before Thanksgiving
Students who attend the University of Texas and Texas A&M University are being urged to take a COVID-19 test before they leave campus and head home for the Thanksgiving holiday break. Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said getting tested can help families and communities feel safe and can avoid any unnecessary exposure to the coronavirus. In addition to getting tested, UT officials are also asking students to self-quarantine seven days prior to traveling and seven days once they have reached their destination, according to a report on KXAN.com. UT officials are also strongly recommending campus community members get tested through the universityโs Proactive Community Testing program or through other COVID-19 testing resources in Austin. Both Texas A&M and UT will end in-person classes for the fall semester ahead of the Thanksgiving break with only final exams scheduled in December.
Despite rising COVID-19 cases, universities including Texas Tech and Texas A&M are planning in-person fall graduations
Texas Tech administrators said last month the university will host multiple in-person commencement ceremonies over a two-day period, as well as a virtual ceremony. At Texas Tech, students helped drive the effort to bring back in-person commencement. Lamar University and Texas Southern University are also planning in-person graduation ceremonies. Other universities plan to hold in-person commencement ceremonies throughout spring 2021 for those who graduated in spring 2020, depending on the status of the pandemic. Disclosure: Lamar University, Sam Houston State University, Texas A&M University, Texas Southern University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Texas at San Antonio and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M's football game postponed after player, staffer test positive for COVID-19
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas TribuneThe Southeastern Conference has postponed this Saturdayโs Texas A&M football game against the University of Tennessee to Dec. 12 after an A&M football player and staff member tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the programโs total number of positive cases to three. A second player had tested positive prior to the South Carolina game. In June, 13 University of Texas at Austin athletes tested positive for COVID-19. Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University postponed a game in early September. Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Baylor University, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University, the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at El Paso have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
2021 spring break for Texas A&M students, staff shortened to just 1 day
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION โ Texas A&M University students will have a shorter spring break than usual in 2021, according to university officials. The spring break changes were announced via email to students and staff Thursday as the university reached its midpoint of the fall semester. โI want to thank and congratulate our staff, students, and faculty for their outstanding work in this very unusual year,โ Fierke said in a statement. Spring break for students and staff will be Friday, March 19. To view the full academic calendar for the spring semester, visit the universityโs website here.
Texas colleges offer free coronavirus tests. Why arenโt more students getting tested?
The University of Texas at Austin said it could test up to 5,000 asymptomatic students, faculty and staff weekly. Texas A&M University trumpeted a similar goal of testing more than 5,000 students each week โ about 7% of the student body. UT-Austin, which has more than 50,000 students, has only required students to be tested before attending football games. That included the 1,198 students tested for the first home football game on Sept. 12. Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of North Texas and Baylor University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Student athletes get COVID-19 tests three times a week, while experts say testing for other university students is lagging
Public health experts say Texas universities should increase testing of all students to prevent community spread of the coronavirus as classes resume. Texas A&M University reported 327 new positive tests the week ending Aug. 29, down slightly from the 371 it reported a week prior. UT-Austin, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University encourage participation in asymptomatic testing but stop short of requiring it. Texas Christian University does not offer routine testing for students without symptoms, according to The Dallas Morning News. Disclosure: Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Austin and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M President Michael Young says he will retire May 31 to return to faculty
Michael K. Young has been president at Texas A&M University since 2015. Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas TribuneTexas A&M University President Michael Young will retire at the end of the academic school year, he said in a letter obtained by The Texas Tribune. Young has expressed a desire to retire and return to teaching and research as a tenured faculty member of the Bush School, Sharp wrote in another letter obtained by the Tribune. The creation of the Institute not only achieves President Youngs desires, it also will allow for an orderly transition from President Young to his eventual successor, Sharp wrote. Our hope is to have the new President chosen and in office by June 1, 2021, Sharp wrote at the time. Disclosure: Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M professor, NASA researcher accused of concealing China ties
The Trump administration has been particularly concerned that professors could exploit their ties to China, and their participation in talent recruitment programs, to steal intellectual property for Beijing's economic benefit. NASA is restricted from using fund for any collaboration or coordination with China, Chinese institutions or any Chinese-owned company. No one in higher education takes security as seriously as we do at The Texas A&M University System, Sharp said in a statement. U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick, the top federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Texas, said the talent recruitment programs exploit our open and free universities." China is building an economic and academic institutions with bricks stolen from others all around the world," Patrick said in a statement.
Were being treated as guinea pigs: Faculty members fear in-person return to Texas universities
If faculty members didn't fit in those categories and still wanted to teach remotely, they were asked to have conversations with their department heads about specific accommodations. Texas A&M will have around 1,800 faculty members teaching courses with an in-person component and 1,300 teaching online-only classes, Fierke said. But allowing faculty members to work from home because of individual safety concerns does not seem to be the norm, Kelchen said. There will be around 1,200 faculty members teaching courses with an in-person component. Disclosure: Sam Houston State University, Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M University System, Texas Christian University, Texas State University, the University of Texas at Austin and The New York Times have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M can't remove Sul Ross statue without the Legislature's approval, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says
The Lawrence Sullivan Sul Ross statue on the campus of Texas A&M University. Shelby Knowles for The Texas TribuneOnly the Texas Legislature has the authority to permanently remove the Lawrence Sullivan Ross statue at Texas A&M University, Attorney General Ken Paxton said in an opinion released Friday. Those task forces will ultimately make a recommendation on how best to address concerns about Sul Ross and other monuments, Young said. A&M System Chancellor John Sharp previously opposed removing the statue, then later said that he supported the task forces' review. "While my personal opinion has not changed about the importance of Lawrence Sullivan Ross to Texas A&M, we Aggies must stand united against racism and love one another," Sharp's statement said.
Texas college football is limiting stadium capacity, mandating masks and testing athletes. Heres what you need to know.
Many athletics officials seized on that number, including UT-Austin Athletics Director Chris Del Conte as recently as last week. At Texas Tech University, officials are also looking at capping stadium capacity at 25%. The Texas Tech athletics department is projecting a loss of $14.1 million from interrupted ticket sales and other pandemic-related expenses, athletics director Kirby Horcutt has said. The Big 12 Conference which includes Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech and the No. Disclosure: Texas A&M, Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M System will provide free COVID-19 tests, but its a mixed bag for other schools
Allie Goulding/The Texas TribuneThe Texas A&M University System is expected to begin offering free on-campus COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff by the end of the week. The university system will send out about 15,000 mouth swab test kits each month to be distributed across its 11 university campuses. System officials have $16 million set aside for the COVID-19 testing program, said Laylan Copelin, system spokesperson. The University of Texas at Austin, one of Texas most populous schools, will charge for a COVID-19 test. Disclosure: Texas A&M System, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas-Arlington, University of Texas at El Paso, and Texas Tech University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporcate sponsors.
Its insane that this is not even up to me: International students at Texas universities cant return without in-person classes
If I'd known, obviously I would have chosen in-person classes." But ... theres a tidal wave of online classes coming our way, to hybrid schools. At UT-Austin alone, there are more than 5,000 international students, according to the schools international office. He views this as a necessary way to protect international students an "already vulnerable" group. Disclosure: Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at El Paso have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Texas A&M scientists call for COVID-19 investigation
COLLEGE STATION, TX Two scientists at Texas A&M University have called for a bipartisan inquiry into the countrys handling of the initial COVID-19 outbreak response. As of June 23, Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 114,881 total cases as the U.S. death toll surpasses 120,000 people. Particularly concerning, Hoetz said, in the countrys response was that transmission was allowed to go on for weeks without a major public health response. What hurt Wuhan was what hurt New York City, which is the virus transmission went on for six weeks before there was any public health intervention, Hotez said in a statement. Hoetz said, in an interview with Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp, that he is worried that anti-science-nationalism is creating global instability.
Texas A&M announces more online offerings, classroom capacity caps and daily cleaning schedules for fall return
Texas A&M University announced on Tuesday its plans to navigate school instruction for the fall semester. Allie Goulding/The Texas TribuneWith universities and colleges continuing to navigate teaching in a pandemic, Texas A&M University announced on Tuesday that half of its classes will be taught exclusively online. But safely hosting students for the fall semester will lead to a series of adjustments. This comes after Texas A&M officials floated the possibility of holding Saturday classes to spread students out. The university previously announced that classes would begin three days earlier and that final exams would be moved online after the Thanksgiving break.
Texas A&M announces task force to weigh removing statue of Sul Ross, Confederate general and former governor
The Lawrence Sullivan Sul Ross statue on the campus of Texas A&M University. Shelby Knowles for The Texas TribuneAn ongoing struggle between Texas A&M students and university officials over a Confederate statue on campus has reached new heights in recent weeks. The statue commemorates Lawrence Sullivan Ross, a Confederate general and former Texas governor that students at Texas A&Ms College Station flagship have zeroed in on as the campus' most flagrant reminder of systemic racism. "Earlier today I met with Chancellor John Sharp to discuss continued racism on the Texas A&M campus," Young wrote in a letter. Young said he would ask this group to make a recommendation for Ross' statue in the near future.
Texas A&M System approves $100 million scholarship fund to address "diversity issues"
The Academic Building on the Texas A&M University campus on March 26, 2018. Sharp also emphasized the need for A&M's student population to reflect that of the state. Currently, white students comprise more than half of the student population at A&M's College Station campus, while black students make up less than 4%, according to 2019 data. Hispanic and Asian students students make up 21% and 8% of the student population, respectively. Disclosure: The Texas A&M University System has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.