Tag Archives: diversity

Time to bury the 2025 Legislature

Posted on June 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. Texas lawmakers gaveled out of their 140-day legislative session on Monday after passing a raft of conservative policies, from private school vouchers to tighter bail laws, that furthered the state’s march to the right. The Legislature wrapped up … Continue reading →

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Harris County joins amicus against NIH cuts

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee announced today that Harris County has joined a national legal fight to protect critical medical research funding. The county is part of a coalition challenging the Trump administration’s recent decision to … Continue reading →

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Republicans don’t care at all about the NIH cuts

Posted on February 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Or on their constituents or even themselves. For years Republicans and Democrats alike have touted the medical breakthroughs at Texas medical research institutions like MD Anderson and Baylor College of Medicine. But after President Donald Trump announced a policy change … Continue reading →

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The NIH cuts’ effect on Texas

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Just wondering if any of our state leaders have a reaction to this attack on our state’s economy. Texas universities could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds that support biomedical research if a Trump administration policy withstands … Continue reading →

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A further clipping of Paxton’s wings

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This could be big. A federal magistrate judge has struck down a 100-plus year old Texas statute authorizing the state’s attorney general to investigate certain businesses and organizations for violating state laws. Judge Mark Lane of the Western District of … Continue reading →

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Where we are on the agenda

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Abbott targets transgender college sports ban. Gov. Greg Abbott wants to ban transgender college students from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identity, adding momentum to a Republican proposal that’s condemned by LGBTQ advocates and progressive … Continue reading →

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Abbott tells state agencies and universities to hire more white people

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, let’s be honest, that’s what this is about. Gov. Greg Abbott’s office is warning state agency and public university leaders this week that the use of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — policies that support groups who have … Continue reading →

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The next ridiculous lawsuit we’re all going to have to endure

Posted on September 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Grit your teeth, here it comes. A University of Texas at Austin professor has sued Texas A&M University claiming a new faculty fellowship program designed to increase diversity at the flagship university in College Station discriminates against white and Asian … Continue reading →

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Legislative diversity report 2021

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a tiny bit more diverse, but not by much. In a perennial takeaway of The Texas Tribune’s demographic analysis, the Texas Legislature remains mostly white and male. When the 2021 legislative session begins Tuesday, 3 of every 5 lawmakers … Continue reading →

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Hiring and harassment at TxDOT

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good morning. Here’s another story about harassment and discrimination being suffered by female and minority employees at a public institution, in this case the state Department of Transportation. The Texas Department of Transportation held Tamela Saldana up as a “superhero” … Continue reading →

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Sheriff Gonzalez’s staff

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez combines diversity with experience in his braintrust. New Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has tapped a diverse wave of law enforcement veterans to fill his top command staff, sharply increasing the number of minority leaders and naming … Continue reading →

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A whiter shade of male

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Sheriffing is a man’s job, ladies. I’m sure you understand that. One month into his job as Harris County sheriff, Ron Hickman has filled his roster of top commanders, a new hierarchy marked by one omission: There are no women. … Continue reading →

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Some of my best friends are white people

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been trying to figure out this new group for Caucasian Sheriff’s deputies. I’ve had the good fortune to have worked for an organization that takes diversity and inclusiveness seriously. They had a number of employee-created networking groups that were … Continue reading →

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