https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/jessica-priest/The latest news by Jessica Priest.enTue, 02 Sep 2025 14:54:24 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/02/texas-house-representative-jodie-laubenberg-dies/Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, announced her passing Monday, calling her “one of the first and most effective fighters” for the anti-abortion movement.By Jessica Priest and Jessica Shuran YuTue, 02 Sep 2025 14:54:24 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/02/texas-house-representative-jodie-laubenberg-dies/Then-state Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, R-Parker, speaks at a press conference at the Texas Capitol on Jan. 25, 2017.Then-state Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, R-Parker, speaks at a press conference at the Texas Capitol on Jan. 25, 2017.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/31/texas-tech-university-brandon-creighton-chancellor/The Conroe Republican has authored some of Texas' major higher education legislation in recent years, including a DEI ban and a law expanding political appointees’ power in universities.By Jessica Priest and Alex NguyenSun, 31 Aug 2025 17:33:11 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/31/texas-tech-university-brandon-creighton-chancellor/State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, on the Senate floor on the second-to-the-last day of the 89th legislative session on June 1, 2025.State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, on the Senate floor on the second-to-the-last day of the 89th legislative session on June 1, 2025.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/texas-am-international-president/Christopher Maynard is slated to be the next leader of the Laredo university. Regents on Thursday also approved construction projects and new limits on faculty senates.By Jessica PriestThu, 28 Aug 2025 19:05:18 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/texas-am-international-president/Christopher Maynard, who currently serves as provost at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, was named Thursday as the sole finalist to become president of Texas A&M International University in Laredo.Texas A&M International University on Feb. 18, 2022.Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/jodey-arrington-brandon-creighton-texas-tech-chancellor/Arrington represents Lubbock in Congress. Creighton is a longtime state lawmaker.By Kate McGee, Gabby Birenbaum and Jessica PriestThu, 28 Aug 2025 16:51:32 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/jodey-arrington-brandon-creighton-texas-tech-chancellor/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/26/texas-international-student-enrollment-universities/An enrollment drop could cost the Texas economy hundreds of millions of dollars, the reports say.By Jessica PriestTue, 26 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/26/texas-international-student-enrollment-universities/The University of North Texas has the most international students in the state. Fewer international students are expected to enroll in Texas schools this fall as they face more scrutiny, requirements and restrictions from the Trump administration, according to two recent reports.Students walk the University of North Texas campus in Denton, TX on February 24, 2022.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/21/university-texas-system-faculty-senates-protests-campus-speech/The changes are in response to new state laws seeking to limit faculty’s influence and put guardrails on campus demonstrations.By Jessica PriestThu, 21 Aug 2025 10:20:27 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/21/university-texas-system-faculty-senates-protests-campus-speech/The University of Texas System board of regents on Thursday took steps to implement two new state laws that will limit faculty's influence and how protests can be conducted on campuses.A view of the UT Tower from the business building on the UT Austin campus during finals week on April 28, 2025.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/19/texas-colleges-undocumented-immigrants-tuition-ruling/The state isn’t providing schools with guidance and advocates say students who still qualify for lower rates are being asked to pay thousands more.By Jessica PriestTue, 19 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/19/texas-colleges-undocumented-immigrants-tuition-ruling/Katerin, a graduate student at the University of Houston, saw her tuition bill almost double after a federal court ruling in June ended the in-state tuition benefit for DACA students. "I saw the email when I got to work ... I literally cried. I felt like I was in a cage, " she said.Katerin M.S., 24, a graduate student in social work at the University of Houston, works full time as a case worker while managing her schoolwork. Covered by DACA, she is among those advocates and attorneys say have lawful presence and should remain eligible for in-state tuition. Despite this, the university initially raised her tuition. Katerin stands outside her work office on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Houston. “I saw the email when I got to work. Even just thinking about it makes me emotional. I couldn’t escape from it. I literally cried. I felt like I was in a cage — like if you don’t pay it or you don’t do what they tell you by Aug. 8, that is what’s due, and that is what you’re going to have to pay,” she said.Hope Mora for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/west-texas-a-m-drag-ban-fifth-circuit-appeals/In a split decision, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the school’s prohibition on drag performances, finding students are likely to prove it violates the First Amendment.By Jessica PriestMon, 18 Aug 2025 16:34:28 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/west-texas-a-m-drag-ban-fifth-circuit-appeals/Protesters on March 23, 2023 demonstrated against the West Texas A&M University president’s decision to cancel a drag performance.Protesters marched against the university president’s decision to cancel a drag performance at West Texas A&M University on March. 23, 2023.David Bowser for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/07/texas-state-university-system-faculty-senates-sb-37/While other universities move to preserve the advisory bodies, Texas State will abolish them under a new state law that curtails faculty’s influence on campuses.By Jessica PriestFri, 08 Aug 2025 11:01:56 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/07/texas-state-university-system-faculty-senates-sb-37/The Texas State University System on Thursday did not authorize any of its schools' existing faculty senates to continue operating. The advisory bodies will lapse when a new state law seeking to curtail faculty's influence goes into effect on Sept. 1.Texas State University campus in San Marcos in 2018.Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/28/texas-am-system-chancellor-glenn-hegar-faculty-senates/In an interview with the Tribune, Chancellor Glenn Hegar also said he would prioritize student outcomes over big projects and skirted questions about diversity and academic freedom.By Jessica PriestMon, 28 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/28/texas-am-system-chancellor-glenn-hegar-faculty-senates/Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar, center, meets with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Duane Wagner, left, and Lance Bullard before a crash test at the Texas A&M RELLIS campus in College Station on July 22, 2025.Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar, center, meets with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Duane Wagner, left, and Lance Bullard before a crash test at the Texas A&M RELLIS campus in College Station, Texas, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Hegar’s visit to the RELLIS campus was his first since beginning his tenure as chancellor on July 1.Cassie Stricker for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/21/university-texas-system-chancellor-john-zerwas-jim-davis/Both Zerwas and Davis had been serving as interim leaders of the university system and its flagship.By Jessica PriestMon, 21 Jul 2025 14:22:48 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/21/university-texas-system-chancellor-john-zerwas-jim-davis/Then-state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, speaks to pages on the House floor on April 4, 2019. Zerwas was named the next chancellor of the University of Texas System.Then-state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, speaks to pages on the House floor on April 4, 2019.Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-supreme-court-smu-united-methodist-church/The school sought to leave the church because of differences over gay marriage and clergy. The court did not decide whether SMU could be prevented from separating.By Jessica PriestFri, 27 Jun 2025 12:55:13 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-supreme-court-smu-united-methodist-church/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/texas-am-accreditation/The creation of the new accrediting agency comes as Republicans have criticized existing ones for reinforcing a liberal bias in the country's higher ed institutions.By Atirikta Kumar and Jessica PriestThu, 26 Jun 2025 14:52:19 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/texas-am-accreditation/The Texas A&M University System on Thursday said it is joining university systems in other Republican-led states to create a new accrediting agency. Accreditors, which review education quality standards for higher ed institutions, have recently faced criticism from Republican leaders at the state and federal level who say the agencies are partly responsible for what they deem as liberal bias in the country's colleges and universities.People take photos with the 3-ton bronze replica of the Haynes Aggie Ring at Texas A&M University on Monday, June 15, 2020 in College Station. The ring is located outside the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center near Kyle Field.Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/19/texas-legislature-higher-ed-lege-recap/Lawmakers also approved direct pay for student athletes and sought better pathways from college to the workforce.By Jessica Priest and Sneha DeyThu, 19 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/19/texas-legislature-higher-ed-lege-recap/Students walk the University of North Texas campus in Denton on Feb. 24, 2022.Students walk the University of North Texas campus in Denton, TX on Feb. 24, 2022.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/14/texas-undocumented-students-tuition-explainer/College access experts urged affected students not to withdraw from school while they assess their options.By Eleanor Klibanoff, Jessica Priest and María MéndezSat, 14 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/14/texas-undocumented-students-tuition-explainer/Students head to classes at the University of Texas at El Paso on May 9, 2019.Students head to classes at the University of Texas at El Paso on May 9, 2019.Joel Angel Juárez for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/14/texas-undocumented-students-tuition-costs/Thousands of undocumented students who grew up in Texas now face college tuition costs that are more than twice what other state residents pay.By Jessica PriestSat, 14 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/14/texas-undocumented-students-tuition-costs/Jorge's parents brought him to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 1 year old. Now 21, he had planned on transferring from Austin Community College to Texas State University to study mechanical engineering, but he may not be able to afford it after Texas agreed last week to stop offering in-state college tuition rates to undocumented students living in the state. The end of the policy has thrown the education plans of thousands of students like him into disarray.Jorge poses for a portrait on Sunday, June 8, 2025 in Lockhart, TX. Jorge had planned on transferring from Austin Community College to Texas State University but cannot afford the out of state tuition. He is planning to take classes through a Mexican university online. On June 4th a federal judge invalidated the law known as the "Texas Dream Act" which went into law in 2001. The law was largely uncontroversial when it passed with few votes against it but its end is being celebrated by Republican lawmakers in the Texas house and Governor Greg Abbott.Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/11/texas-in-state-tuition-undocumented-students-lawsuit-paxton-trump/Two groups tried to intervene in a case that blocked Texas’ decade-old law allowing certain undocumented students to pay the lower tuition rates at public universities. They’re appealing that decision.By Eleanor Klibanoff and Jessica PriestWed, 11 Jun 2025 12:58:17 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/11/texas-in-state-tuition-undocumented-students-lawsuit-paxton-trump/Students on the University of Texas at Arlington campus in Arlington on Sept. 10, 2024.Students on the University of Texas at Arlington campus in Arlington on Sept. 10, 2024.Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-justice-department-lawsuit-undocumented-in-state-tuition/Within hours of a federal lawsuit targeting Texas’ policy of letting undocumented students qualify for lower public tuition rates, the 24-year-old law was no more.By Eleanor Klibanoff, Jessica Priest, Sneha Dey and Ayden RunnelsWed, 04 Jun 2025 14:45:08 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-justice-department-lawsuit-undocumented-in-state-tuition/Students walk through campus at the University of Texas at Austin on Aug. 25, 2021.Students walk through campus at the University of Texas at Austin on Aug. 25, 2021.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/texas-college-athletes-students-paid-sports-football/House Bill 126, which allows student athletes to receive a slice of the billions Texas colleges generate in revenue from their teams, now awaits the governor’s signature.By Jessica PriestWed, 28 May 2025 00:06:52 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/texas-college-athletes-students-paid-sports-football/The University of Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium in Austin on August 31, 2019.The University of Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium in Austin on August 31, 2019.Eddie Gaspar/The Daily Texanhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/texas-universities-protests-free-speech/The proposal is largely in response to massive pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year. Critics say it would walk back free speech protections that conservatives advocated for in previous legislative sessions.By Jessica PriestTue, 27 May 2025 23:19:29 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/texas-universities-protests-free-speech/Protestors chant as Texas Department of Public Safety troopers begin to push students towards Guadalupe Street from the South Lawn during a demonstration in support of Palestine on April 24, 2024, at the University of Texas in Austin.Protestors chant at Texas Department of Public Safety troopers as they begin to push students towards Guadalupe Street from the South Lawn during a demonstration in support of Palestine Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at the University of Texas in Austin.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune