Texas lawmakers are coming back to the capitol for a special session. But what’s going to be on the agenda? We’ll have a few predictions. Plus: accountability. That’s at least one thing critics say has been lacking in the way the Army handles sexual assault and harassment cases. Efforts to change that. And for a small college a big financial gift opens up huge opportunities. The story from Odessa. And in Austin: understanding an incredible spike in housing prices. Plus even DJ Screw’s biggest fans admit there’s a lot they don’t know about the late, great Hip Hop icon. A new attempt to delve deeper. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
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Texas Standard: May 26, 2021
What a difference a year makes! The George Floyd ACT Poised to pass unanimously in Texas has stalled. Today we’ll tour the Texas Legislature and report on the progress, or lack there of, legislators have made. From police reform bills to bail reform to permit-less carry and marijuana related bills, we’ll take a look at the implications. Plus, in Texas literature Pulitzer Prize winner Annette Gordon Reed tells us how she mixed personal stories with history. And jolting the electric vehicle market here comes Lightning – ford’s newest F-150. Plus feral cats and the kids who are feeding them. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 20, 2021
The Legislature has the power, but does it have the will? Where’s the long promised fix to prevent massive outages like the one last winter? What happened to a much anticipated overhaul aimed at preventing another deadly round of power failures. Also an update on prison and bail reform. And as cryptocurrencies crash, the transplanted Texan who seems to have unusual power in the markets. Plus the best community college in the nation? a hint: it’s in the Lone Star State. And an historian pushes back on a project aimed at teaching what are described as Texas values. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: April 20, 2021
A bill to allow permitless carry of handguns in Texas has passed the House. A done deal in the Texas Senate too? Not so fast. Although republicans have control of the senate, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick says he does not now have the votes to pass permitless carry. We’ll hear the latest. Also, it was a rare act of bipartisanship to save music and theatre venues hard hit by the pandemic. Now months later, none of the money has been allocated. What’s the holdup and will Texas stages survive? Plus the push to address homelessness in the capitol city amid political controversy over public camping. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: April 13, 2021
Growing concerns among Texas education experts over how to measure the impact of the pandemic on learning. Big questions over what standardized testing tells us about education during the pandemic and just how much may be missing from the data. Also, what will college campuses in Texas look like in the fall? We’ll hear about the picture coming into focus. And planning a move to someplace less crowded? If it’s in Texas, you may want to double check the laws for landowners first. And the undiscovered musician joining the ranks of Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 1, 2021
As March rolls in, the effects of the February winter storm continue to ripple across rural Texas. We’ll have a conversation with local officials. Also, a new month, the rent is due, and the home is still a wreck broken pipes, to water damage and worse. Any of this sound familiar? What are your rights? We’ll get answers from an expert. Also a new COVID-19 vaccine gets federal approval. What it means for Texans waiting to get the shot. And the state’s biggest university temporarily waves the SAT and ACT requirement. The shape of longer-term things to come in higher ed? And Texas researchers connect the dots on dinosaur extinction. All those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: September 14, 2020
Primary care physicians on the front line of a health crisis now asking for a primary care “Marshall Plan” to survive long term. That story and more today on the Texas Standard.
El Paso, long a democratic stronghold, but also with a history of low turnout among Latinos and young voters. A closer look at what issues might get them to the polls with election day now 50 days away.
Also, how one of the biggest legacies of the Obama administration echoes in this election season.
And colleges and universities trying to get in good with social media influencers- but at what price? Those stories and more.
Texas Standard: September 3, 2020
April in Texas again? The Lone Star State approaches another potential tipping point as the governor hints at possible re-openings, we’ll have the latest. Also, as college campuses reopen, the look is not good on the COVID-19 front. How colleges and universities are struggling to control spiking case numbers. Plus more sports fans feeling they can’t sit on the sidelines right now, literally and figuratively. A Texas author weighs in on loving sports when they don’t love you back. And remembering the late actor Chadwick Boseman. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 11, 2020
Half of Houstonians rent their homes but the city hasn’t passed protections against eviction in this current economic situation. We’ll take a closer look. Plus- to play ball or not. The field of college sports is starting to look very different as we near the start of seasons. And another uncertain future? American agriculture. Actually, the future looks certainly dire unless there are some changes. Then there’s school reopening. We’ll hear from a former U.S. Secretary of Education about why we have to try and how to do it safer. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 20, 2020
In a state with one of the lowest health insurance rates in the nation, a dangerous dip in coverage for many more Texans, we’ll have the latest. Other stories we’re covering, the Texan in line to become the nation’s next top intelligence official. We’ll hear what’s at stake as the Senate takes up the nomination of Republican John Radcliffe of Heath to be the next director of national intelligence. Also, despite a ban on such events, a small group in Texas gets one of the nation’s first live in person graduations of 2020. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 4, 2020
Soaking up the sun along the gulf coast, as some Texas beaches get back to business, if not back to normal. We’ll take a look at the implications. Also, more than one and a half million new Texas unemployment claims since the pandemic started. Listeners have questions, we’ll put them to the head of the Texas workforce commission. Also, some Texas colleges and universities declaring its back to the classroom this fall. The president of Texas tech on the pressure for a return to normal. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 1, 2020
A may day like few others in recent memory as the Lone Star State begins a slow reopen. Texans get back to work, or perhaps, not. We’ll have the latest. Also, its May 1st: due day for millions of renters. Dallas and Austin among cities offering relief. We’ll look at why Texas’ biggest city hasn’t joined them. And the Texas Attorney General weighs in on property rights, in Colorado? Why? And the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune, the Typewriter Rodeo and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: April 27, 2020
More Texans out and about over the weekend as the governor makes moves to reopen the Texas economy. We’ll look at what’s next and the implications for safety. Despite steps to get back to business, no end in site yet for a return to normalcy. We’ll talk about steps to stay mentally well under stay at home guidelines. And bankruptcy predictions for a high end Texas-based retailer: an echo of the culture wars or the end of an era? And it’s one thing to cut a student athlete from a roster, but to cut whole teams? A new normal spreads across Texas higher ed. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 9, 2020
SXSW’s cancellation may be just the tip of the iceberg. The warning from economists: the world’s 10th largest economy should brace for impact, we’ll have the latest. Also, a discovery in Dallas county brings demands for a Super Tuesday recount. And a new state law designates all common spaces on public universities as public forums for free speech. Critics blame the new law for campus violence, we’ll have details. Plus acts of dissent south of the border over the weekend as millions of women declare a feminist spring. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 30, 2019
It’s not pay for play, but college athletes won’t have to turn away endorsement dollars. A shakeup in the big buck business of college sports? We’ll have the story. Also a shortage of water at an ice detention center. What we know about conditions and what we don’t…and why. And the latest numbers on Texas kids and health insurance add up to a grim situation, we’ll take a look. And hell yes, or no? Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke says he’s not for weapons confiscation. We’ll have a Politifact check and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 4, 2019
He’s been one of the longest-serving members of President Trump’s cabinet, but sources say Rick Perry will soon step down, we’ll explore. Also, did you get a census in the mail? No, not that census. We’ll explore some confusing fundraising tactics to keep an eye out of for. Plus, it was a personal moment between the brother of a victim and his brother’s killer. But it’s sparked intense debate. We’ll explore. And a new documentary brings to light a long overlooked piece of Texas history. Those stories and then some today on the Friday edition of the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 2, 2019
Guilty. A jury has convicted a former Dallas Police officer of murdering her neighbor in his own apartment. We’ll have reaction and a look ahead to sentencing. Also, Texas State University under scrutiny for under-reporting sexual assaults on campus. We’ll take a look at what happened and why. Meanwhile, the state’s first black city is at risk of being overtaken by developers. A look at the history we’re about to lose. And California is going to let college athletes profit off their images despite NCAA rules. Why Texas should care. All of that and then some today on the Texas Standard:
Higher Ed: Surviving And Succeeding During Freshman Year In College (Or Through Any Big Life Change)
First-year college student students often encounter tougher classes in a new environment without the familiar supports of home. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore strategies for staying on course when so much is changing.
“You’re going to be homesick. You’re going to be miserable. You’re going to be alone…. You’re going to feel like there’s no one on the planet that gets you.”
That’s how Ed describes those first few days or weeks or months of freshman year in college. While it may not be quite that extreme for everyone, heading off to college is a significant transition. Ed believes successfully navigating those changes starts with acknowledging them.
“We are fragile creatures….we are not accustomed to change,” says Ed, ” and I think that our basic modus operandi is we like things to be the same. So, any kind of dramatic change will cause angst and anxiety.”
Ed says being open to new connections and experiences can ease some of that angst and anxiety.
“You will make new relationships and you will make new friendships,” says Ed. ” And they might not look the same as your old friends and your old friendships. Be open to the fact that you might be drawn to someone who you might not have been drawn to in high school.”
Ed also suggests exercising some restraint in getting involved with multiple activities right away.
“There’s a temptation to join everything,” Ed warns. “So, [be] mindful of your time and [make] sure you have down time.”
Listen to the entire episode to hear more of Ed’s suggestions for navigating the major changes that come along with the first year of college (or any major change, really) including what he considers his most important advice for all students of every grade level.
No change with the puzzler; it’s back and ready to challenge with a Roman numeral riddle.
This episode was recorded on Aug. 7, 2019.
Note: After this episode was recorded, Dr. Ed Burger announced that he is leaving Southwestern University in Jan. 2020 to become President and Chief Executive Officer of St. David’s Foundation.
Texas Standard: August 19, 2019
A partial win for the Trump administration’s new rule for asylum is affecting thousands of people on the other side of the Texas Mexico divide. We’ll take a look at whats happening. Other stories we’re covering: a ransomware attack paralyses 23 government computer systems statewide. Could it have been prevented? One expert says absolutely. Also, a man set to be executed by Texas this week. It’s his sixth scheduled execution date. Why questions about his actual innocence have haunted the courts for almost two decades. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Best of “Higher Ed:” Why The College Major May Matter Less Than We’ve Always Thought
This episode was originally published on Oct. 12, 2018.
Choosing a major is a rite of passage for higher education students, and it can feel like a – dare we say it –major decision with lifelong implications. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss what could – and sometimes should –go into choosing a major plan of study.
Sometime in a student’s higher education career, a decision has to be made about a major, that set of courses a student chooses to study a subject more deeply. The decision can feel like a significant, irrevocable one that can impact the rest of their lives. But Ed suggests dialing back the stress to make that one, perfect decision.
“The major itself is not as important as the experience and the growth opportunities that come from that major,” he says. “That’s why you hear so many people, especially in the liberal arts and science, talk about how it doesn’t even matter what your major is. As long as you’re involved and interested and engaged, you will have that growth experience that will allow you to become better and to figure out the next thing you do, and that leads you to the next thing … because you’re constantly going toward your passion.”
Ed also believes timelines that require students to declare a major at a specific point in time during their college career can discourage academic exploration and excitement about discovering new fields of interest.
“I’d like to see people declaring majors when they really are intellectually fired up about the thing, rather than it’s time to do it.”
Listen to the full episode for more about the process of academic discovery that can lead to declaring a major. It is also time for the solution to the puzzler about escaping a room while avoiding scorching heat and a fire-breathing dragon. Think it can’t be done? Wait til you hear the oh so simple solution!
This episode was recorded on Sept. 28, 2018.