Kate McGee | The Texas Tribune

“The recent challenges regarding Dr. McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately,” Banks wrote in her resignation letter. “The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.”

No other public universities use race as a factor, but Texas private schools like Rice and Southern Methodist University will be impacted.

The court’s ruling will change admissions practices at the University of Texas at Austin, the state’s only large public university that considers race, and some private universities.

Child support enforcement, environmental regulation, consumer protection and a host of other responsibilities fall under the attorney general’s realm at what is essentially the state’s largest law firm.

The Texas Senate wants to ban tenure. The House gave initial approval Monday to a bill that would instead enshrine tenure policies in state law. After final passage, the two chambers have a week left to come to a compromise.

The system is the latest to make changes after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop considering diversity in their hiring practices.

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.

Students and faculty will not be able to access the popular social media app while connected to university internet servers. It’s the latest step to limit access to the service after Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to ban the app on government-issued devices citing cybersecurity risks.

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 leaders of the state’s six biggest university systems are seeking the money to fund instruction, university operations and employee health insurance and to cover a free tuition program for veterans and their children.

State higher education leaders are pushing for the changes as community colleges face greater workforce demands and financial pressures. The commission’s report now goes to lawmakers, who are expected to file legislation on the matter next session.