MRT: UT Faculty Target Hartzell; UT Corrects AAS: No Student’s Access Has Changed; SA to Hand Over Cenotaph to GLO; Frazier Charge Dropped
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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MONDAY – 04/29/24
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TOP NEWS
“Faculty petition to hold no-confidence vote in UT-Austin president after protest response,” Texas Tribune's Robert Downen, Ikram Mohamed and William Melhado -- “Fallout from police crackdowns on a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the University of Texas at Austin continued this week with faculty condemning the response, university leaders defending their actions and students organizing a second round of protests.
At a much less tense rally Thursday on UT-Austin's campus, faculty with the school's chapter of the American Association of University Professors said they planned to hold a vote of no confidence in President Jay Hartzell over his management of the protest the day before and the school's implementation of legislation banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities. AAUP members were seen passing around a letter asking faculty to sign in their support.
Students at the rally reiterated their main demand from the day before, calling on UT-Austin to divest from all weapon manufacturers and companies involved with Israel. They also called for Hartzell's resignation and complete amnesty for those student protesters and members of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, which organized Wednesday’s event, who were arrested.
All told, 57 people — including one journalist — were arrested on the school’s campus on Wednesday, the Travis County Sheriff’s office said Thursday. The arrests quickly sparked backlash from some faculty and students, who called the reaction heavy-handed since the protest showed no signs of violence before law enforcement got involved.
Even though all of the criminal trespass charges against them were dropped, the protestors that were arrested are not allowed back on campus except for "academic reasons," KUT reported.
Authorities at Wednesday's student walkout ordered protesters to disperse and started making arrests on criminal trespassing charges, a class B misdemeanor. Protesters then regrouped on the university's South Mall and were soon surrounded by law enforcement — including Texas Department of Public Safety officers — who formed a perimeter behind a chain-link barrier and pushed protesters onto the sidewalks. A procession of mounted state troopers and officers on foot herded students farther using body shields and their horses, which at times came within grazing distance of protesters.
As footage from the protest went viral on social media — including a video of police slamming a local TV cameraman to the ground — some Republican leaders cheered the police response, accusing the demonstrators of being "pro-Hamas" or calling the protest an "unlawful assembly."
In a Wednesday evening statement, Hartzell defended the response, saying the university “held firm” and that student protesters had “tried to deliver on their stated intent to occupy campus.”
“Peaceful protests within our rules are acceptable,” Hartzell said. “Breaking our rules and policies and disrupting others’ ability to learn are not allowed. The group that led this protest stated it was going to violate Institutional Rules. Our rules matter, and they will be enforced. Our University will not be occupied.”
On Thursday, Hartzell expanded on the decision to shut down the demonstration in a Thursday evening letter to the campus. He said UT believed that protesters were attempting to take over, and disrupt, the campus for an extended period — a strategy that Hartzell said was modeled after a "national organization's protest playbook."
The Palestine Solidarity Committee has chapters at universities across the country. The Austin American-Statesman reported Thursday that UT put the group on interim suspension, citing alleged violations of institutional rules.
Hartzell noted that 26 of the 55 individuals arrested Wednesday had no UT affiliation. The Travis County Sheriff's office said 57 protesters were booked in the county jail.
Hartzell’s explanation was quickly decried by faculty groups as well as students." Texas Tribune
FOR THE RECORD
STATEMENT: The University of Texas statement regarding arrests for criminal trespassing:
"No student’s access to campus for any purpose has changed based on any events this week. Any news reports suggesting otherwise are incorrect.
"For the last two days, The University of Texas provided an abbreviated list of rules related to conduct during protests, including typical consequences as a result of being arrested for criminal trespassing. This notice was provided as a courtesy to all protesters — students and non-University affiliated persons — to help them understand potential consequences for decisions to violate University rules."
# # #
HOU CHRON: “How have HPD's dropped cases impacted Houston's crime rate?” Houston Chronicle
KXAN: “Man released on probation after serving 4 months in prison on attempted sex assault charge” KXAN
SAEN: “San Antonio about to hand over damaged Alamo Cenotaph to Texas” SAEN
TX TRIB: “State's premature release of bid proposal info touches off new battle over $116 billion in Medicaid contracts” Texas Tribune
SAEN: “Can this anti-voucher Texas Republican survive Abbott's campaign blitz?” SAEN
TX TRIB: “After no contest plea, a Texas representative's charges for impersonating a public servant are dismissed” Texas Tribune
DMN: “National Enquirer faked story attacking Ted Cruz's father, testimony reveals” DMN
EXTRA POINTS
This past weekend's Texas sports scores:
Fri
> NBA: #5 Mavericks 101, #4 Clippers AP
> MLB: Reds 2, Rangers 1 AP
Sat
> MLS: Austin 2, LA Galaxy 0 AP
> MLB: Reds 8, Rangers 4 AP
> MLB: Astros 12, Rockies 4 AP
> NHL: #1 Stars 3, #8 Golden Knights 2 (OT) (1-2) AP
> NWSL: Utah 0, Houston 0 KJZZ
> MLS: Dallas 2, Houston 0 AP
Sun
> MLB: Reds at Rangers 5, Reds 4 AP
> NBA: #4 Clippers 116, #5 Mavericks 111 AP (2-2)
> MLB: Astros 8, Rockies AP
Tonight's sports schedule:
> 8:30pm: NHL: #1 Stars at #8 Las Vegas (ESPN)
DALLAS COWBOYS: “Dallas Cowboys agree to terms with running back Ezekiel Elliott" DMN
DALLAS COWBOYS: “Will McClay breaks down Cowboys' 2024 draft selections" DMN
HOUSTON TEXANS: “Texans WR Tank Dell shot in Florida, sustains minor wound, team says" AP
TEXAS BASEBALL: “Texas beats No.18 Oklahoma twice on Sunday to secure Red River rivalry series win" AAS
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: “Spurs have options when it comes to their future NBA draft picks" SAEN