The latest Judith Zaffirini news from The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Education Code lays out the state's expectations for regents of public university systems, and state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, is now questioning whether the University of Texas System board is living up to them. Full Story
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Sen. Kel Seliger, who co-chairs the Legislature's joint higher education oversight committee, said UT regents should have access to the information they have requested, but the committee wants to make sure it is being gathered and used appropriately. Full Story
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At a briefing Tuesday, lawmakers and relatives of people killed while texting and driving renewed a push to make the practice illegal. A proposal passed during the last session but was vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, explained why it's okay for a "committed conservative" to host fundraisers for and give money to Democrats. Full Story
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There are now eight Texas universities vying to be the state's next tier-one university. Texas State University has officially been reclassified as an "emerging research university." Full Story
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Could the state’s public universities go through the so-called sunset review process, forcing them to periodically defend their existence to state legislators? Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry proposed term limits for federal judges and cuts in pay and work hours for Congress, so we put those issues to the insiders and added Texas versions: What about a full-time Legislature, and appointed judges instead of elected ones? Full Story
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Legislators and other concerned groups are preparing for a thorough review of the conflict of interest policies — or lack of policies — that apply to regents of the state’s public university systems. Full Story
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A recurring theme questioned the status quo of the boards that govern higher education at this week’s day-long meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence, and Transparency: Are the boards that govern higher education due for more restrictive conflict-of-interest policies? Full Story
At today's hearing of the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency, experts weighed in on how — and how not — to make universities in Texas more accountable and transparent. Full Story
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Today brings the latest step in the state's ongoing higher education debate: the inaugural hearing of the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency. Full Story
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Don’t look for the Legislature to get in the middle of Texas A&M University’s split from the Big 12 Conference. Twice in the last 14 months, House Higher Education Chairman Dan Branch, R-Dallas, has called a hearing about universities leaving the Big 12 Conference — and twice he had to cancel it because the timing was off. In the meantime, the conservative blogosphere let him have it. Full Story
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In his nearly 11 years as governor, Rick Perry has helped make Texas one of the most restrictive states for women seeking abortions. With every legislative session, and every election, his opposition has grown increasingly emphatic. Full Story
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At this morning's meeting of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa won unanimous approval for a plan addressing hot-button higher ed issues of the moment like productivity, efficiency and accountability. Full Story
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Since it was created in May, little has been heard from the Legislature's Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency. But today, its first public hearing was set for Wednesday, Sept. 21. Full Story
DAY 13 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: a law aimed at making college textbooks more affordable goes into effect. Full Story
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The announcement of a new online university for Texas, Western Governors University Texas, has united members of the higher education community who have recently found themselves at odds over the future of the state's colleges and universities. Full Story
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Higher education leaders in Texas have been pushing for more pathways to college degrees for Texas. Today, Gov. Rick Perry, along with higher education committee chairs Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, and Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, announced a new one: Western Governors University Texas. Full Story
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David Dewhurst might be the safest bet for the U.S. Senate since former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. But nothing is guaranteed in politics. Just ask Crist. Full Story
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Though university officials around the state were hoping that the special session might open the door for the issuance of bonds for campus construction projects, that opportunity never developed in a significant way. Full Story