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  • Gregory L. Fenves

Gregory L. Fenves

Greg Fenves

Ph.D.

29th President
2015-2020

Gregory L. Fenves

As UT’s 29th President, Gregory L. Fenves prioritized student success and experiential learning, invested substantially in faculty members and their research, and strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration across the schools and colleges. Research funding and the number of federally funded Centers of Excellence reached historic highs at UT during his presidency. And President Fenves established scholarship programs and bolstered student resources and support, as UT increased its four-year graduation rates to the highest levels in the university’s history while significantly improving graduation outcomes for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

In 2018, President Fenves introduced the Texas Advance Commitment to increase affordability by providing assured financial aid for low- and middle-income UT students. In 2019, the UT System Board of Regents approved funding from the Permanent University Fund, which now ensures full tuition coverage at The University of Texas at Austin for in-state students with need from families earning up to $65,000 per year. In 2020, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation made a historic gift of $100 million to expand resources and support for all Pell Grant eligible students at UT.

Diversity and inclusion were cornerstones of President Fenves’ vision for the university. In 2015, his administration successfully defended UT’s admissions practices before the United States Supreme Court. The landmark ruling in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case enabled UT to continue recruiting a diverse student body, reflective of a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

President Fenves was instrumental in the founding of UT’s Dell Medical School — the first medical school in nearly 50 years to be built from the ground up at a top-tier research university — which graduated its inaugural class of physicians in 2020. UT Health Austin, the faculty clinical practice for Dell Med, helped lead UT’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as the university transitioned all instruction to distance learning in spring 2020.

President Fenves conceived of a unique public-private partnership, which led to the construction of UT’s new basketball arena and events venue — now known as Moody Center, because of a $130 million gift from the Moody Foundation — which is expected to open in 2022.

Prior to his presidency, Fenves served the university as executive vice president and provost (2013-2015) and dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering (2008-2013).

Speeches & Commentary

  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016

Fall 2020 Planning Update | May 20

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May 21, 2020

Second Phase of Financial Mitigation Measures

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May 21, 2020

Fall 2020 Planning Update | May 12

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May 21, 2020

Celebrating the Last Day of Class

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May 21, 2020

Fall Planning Update

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May 21, 2020

New UT Leadership Start Dates

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May 21, 2020

Texas Reopening Order

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May 21, 2020

Planning for the Fall Semester

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May 21, 2020

Summer Instruction and Other Mitigation Plans

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Apr 14, 2020

Mitigation Plans During COVID-19 Crisis

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Apr 14, 2020

A Leadership Announcement from President Fenves and Dean Jay Hartzell

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Apr 08, 2020

Leaving UT This Summer

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Apr 07, 2020

Interim Provost and VP for Research

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Apr 02, 2020

Mid-Week Check In

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Apr 01, 2020

Continuing the Spring Semester Online

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Mar 27, 2020

Maurie McInnis Named President of Stony Brook University - SUNY

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Mar 26, 2020

Helping UT Students During the COVID-19 Crisis

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Mar 25, 2020

City of Austin “Stay Home – Work Safe” Order

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Mar 24, 2020

New COVID-19 Cases in UT Community

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Mar 18, 2020

UT Austin: Our New Reality

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Mar 18, 2020

Moving to Online Classes

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Mar 17, 2020

UT Operations Update | March 15

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Mar 15, 2020

COVID-19 Identified within UT Community

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Mar 13, 2020

Changing Spring Break

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Mar 11, 2020

Canceling Explore UT

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Mar 06, 2020

Coronavirus Precautions

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Mar 04, 2020

Changing Sexual Misconduct Policies at UT Austin

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Mar 02, 2020

Improving Safety in the West Campus Neighborhood

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Feb 27, 2020

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Partnership Kick-Off

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Feb 03, 2020

An Extraordinary New Partnership with the Dell Foundation

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Jan 31, 2020

Last Night's Student Forum

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Jan 28, 2020

Safety Near Campus

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Jan 26, 2020

MLK Day Community Rally and March, 2020

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Jan 21, 2020

Welcome Back to the Forty Acres!

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Jan 21, 2020

Honoring Teresa Lozano Long

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Dec 12, 2019

Addressing Sexual Misconduct at UT — Next Steps

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Dec 12, 2019

Tuition Update

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Dec 12, 2019

The Moody Foundation Makes History at UT

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Dec 12, 2019

Addressing Sexual Misconduct at UT

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Dec 12, 2019

Finishing the Fall Semester

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Dec 12, 2019

Veterans Day Ceremony 2019

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Nov 07, 2019

A Nobel Prize for UT Professor John Goodenough

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Oct 10, 2019

2019 State of the University Address

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Sep 18, 2019

A Commitment to Ethics

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Sep 16, 2019

Harrison Keller Named Commissioner of Higher Education

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Sep 11, 2019

Athletics Admissions Legal Review

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Sep 09, 2019

Speech and Expression on Campus

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Aug 30, 2019

Regents Support and the Start of the Fall Semester

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Aug 26, 2019

Expanding Guaranteed Financial Aid for TX Students

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Jul 09, 2019

Supporting Faculty and Research Integrity

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Jun 28, 2019

Legislative Update

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May 28, 2019

Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, Spring 2019

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May 25, 2019

Focusing on Safety

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Apr 22, 2019

Bill Powers "Celebration of Life"

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Apr 12, 2019

Chasing Perfection: The Legacy of Architect John S. Chase

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Apr 01, 2019

Holding Ourselves Accountable

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Mar 28, 2019

Striving for Higher Ethical Standards at UT

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Mar 13, 2019

Remembering Former UT President Bill Powers

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Mar 10, 2019

John McKetta Memorial

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Feb 09, 2019

A New Semester

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Jan 22, 2019

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community March and Rally

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Jan 21, 2019

Starting 2019 on the Forty Acres

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Jan 16, 2019

New Arena, New Regents Leadership

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Dec 20, 2018

Today's Trial Vedict

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Dec 11, 2018

Celebrating UT Staff

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Dec 10, 2018

Finishing the Fall Semester

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Dec 10, 2018

Relocating the James Hogg Statue

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Dec 06, 2018

Remembering President Bush

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Dec 04, 2018

It's official: The Canfield Business Honors Program

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Nov 30, 2018

Sandy Jansen Named Chief Audit Executive

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Nov 16, 2018

Voting — Making Your Voice Heard

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Nov 01, 2018

Dallas Holocaust Museum “Hope for Humanity” Dinner

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Oct 24, 2018

Water Use in the Coming Days

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Oct 23, 2018

James Davis Named Vice President for Legal Affairs

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Oct 23, 2018

State of the University Goals

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Sep 17, 2018

2018 State of the University Address

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Sep 13, 2018

A New Semester on the Forty Acres

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Aug 30, 2018

Vice President for Legal Affairs to Retire

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Aug 08, 2018

Honoring Haruka's Life

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Jul 20, 2018

Professor Leonard Moore Named VP for Diversity and Community Engagement

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Jun 13, 2018

Summer Begins on the Forty Acres

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May 25, 2018

Finals, Commencement and Student Excellence

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May 09, 2018

Expanding Financial Aid for Low and Middle-Income Students

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Apr 20, 2018

Recognizing Staff Who Do More

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Apr 19, 2018

Responding to Employee Criminal Conduct

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Apr 05, 2018

Update on Tuition Rates

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Mar 19, 2018

Workday to set a new standard for administrative processes at UT

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Feb 23, 2018

Heman Sweatt Portrait Unveiling

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Feb 15, 2018

Ellsworth Kelly ‘Austin’ Opening Dinner

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Feb 10, 2018

A New Arena for Texas Basketball

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Feb 02, 2018

A Look Back at 2017

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Dec 20, 2017

New Leader for Texas Athletics

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Dec 09, 2017

Recommendation on Tuition Rates

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Dec 04, 2017

Learning, Discovering and Giving Thanks

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Nov 21, 2017

It's official: The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

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Nov 07, 2017

Fenves Receives Guardian of the Human Spirit Award

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Nov 07, 2017

Fighting Hate on Campus

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Nov 04, 2017

UT's Highest Graduation Rates Ever

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Sep 20, 2017

2017 State of the University Address

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Sep 12, 2017

It’s official: The Steve Hicks School of Social Work

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Sep 06, 2017

A Message from President Fenves Regarding DACA

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Sep 05, 2017

How to Help UT's Harvey Victims

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Sep 01, 2017

The Impact of Hurricane Harvey

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Aug 28, 2017

Confederate Statues on Campus

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Aug 20, 2017

Fenves Honors New U.S. Citizens

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Jun 29, 2017

Budget Update

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Jun 28, 2017

Professor Leonard Moore Named Interim VP for Diversity and Community Engagement

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Jun 06, 2017

Legislative Budget Update

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May 27, 2017

Looking Back and Looking Ahead | May 2017

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May 18, 2017

Racist Fliers on Campus

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May 02, 2017

Remembering Harrison Brown

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May 02, 2017

Update on Campus Tragedy

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May 01, 2017

Gregory Vincent named president of his alma mater

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Apr 20, 2017

Message on University Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan

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Mar 30, 2017

Honoring the Life of Haruka Weiser

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Mar 28, 2017

Results of Sexual Assault Survey

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Mar 24, 2017

Message from the President | March 2017

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Mar 14, 2017

Message on Hate and Bias Incident Policy

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Mar 08, 2017

Message from President Fenves on Campus Climate and Town Hall

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Feb 20, 2017

Message from President Fenves on Recent Executive Order

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Jan 29, 2017

A Welcome Back Message from President Fenves | January 2017

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Jan 17, 2017

MLK Community March and Rally

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Jan 16, 2017

A Message from President Gregory L. Fenves | December 2016

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Dec 06, 2016

A Message from President Gregory L. Fenves | November 2016

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Nov 14, 2016

A Message from UT Austin President Gregory L. Fenves | October 2016

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Oct 06, 2016

2016 State of the University Address

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Sep 13, 2016

UT Austin Receives DPS Security Assessment and Will Implement Recommendations

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Aug 31, 2016

Tower Memorial Rededication Remarks

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Aug 01, 2016

Remembering the Tower Victims and Survivors

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Aug 01, 2016

Improvements to Campus Safety and Security

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Jul 05, 2016

Message on Supreme Court Decision in Fisher Case

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Jun 23, 2016

Welcoming Dell Med's First Class

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Jun 06, 2016

Vision and Strategic Priorities for The University of Texas at Austin

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May 12, 2016

Update on DPS Review of Campus Safety

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Apr 19, 2016

Update to February Incident in West Campus

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Apr 14, 2016

Honoring Haruka's Memory

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Apr 11, 2016

A Message from Haruka's Family

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Apr 08, 2016

Developments in Homicide Investigation

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Apr 08, 2016

A Loss for Our Community

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Apr 07, 2016

Updates on Campus Tragedy

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Apr 06, 2016

Law Enforcement Continues Homicide Investigation

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Apr 06, 2016

Statement on Body Found on Campus

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Apr 05, 2016

Policy Improvements to Address Student Behavior

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Mar 30, 2016

UT System Board of Regents Approves Tuition Increase

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Feb 29, 2016

UT Austin's Campus Carry Policies

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Feb 17, 2016

Building Upon UT's Excellence

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Feb 08, 2016

Darrell Bazzell Named Senior VP and CFO of UT Austin

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Jan 26, 2016

The Rotary Club of Austin

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Jan 19, 2016

James Pennebaker to Lead Project 2021 at UT Austin

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Jan 19, 2016

UT Austin’s New Provost Announced

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Jan 12, 2016

Recognizing Great Teaching at UT

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Jan 07, 2016
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