Bobby Blanchard
Bobby Blanchard is a reporting fellow for The Texas Tribune and a journalism senior at the University of Texas at Austin. Bobby previously interned at the Houston Chronicle and KUT News, and he got his start in journalism in the poorly lit basement of The Daily Texan.
Recent Contributions
Enlarge
photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
University of Texas President Bill Powers speaks to Provost Gregory Fenves during a board of regents meeting on July 10th, 2014
The leading candidate to be the next president of the University of Texas at Austin, University of Oxford Vice Chancellor Andrew Hamilton, has been named the next president of New York University.
Full Story
Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, pauses during a discussion on redistricting on the Senate floor May 19, 2011.
A bill that reins in the power of university regents was approved by a Texas Senate committee Wednesday morning. A similar piece of legislation was vetoed last session.
Full Story
Enlarge
photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Sen. Charles Schwertner R-Georgetown, at a February Texas Tribune event.
Lawmakers riled up by higher education costs want to regain their control of setting tuition at state colleges and universities. But at most schools, tuition has gone up more slowly since the schools took over the job, a Tribune analysis shows.
Full Story
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny receives a Texas belt buckle from Gov. Greg Abbott at the Governor's Mansion on March 15, 2015.
Gov. Greg Abbott met with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny on Sunday morning to discuss trade and economic relations. It was Abbott's first meeting with a foreign prime minister since becoming governor.
Full Story
Signs on the office of Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown on the last day of bill filing Mar. 13, 2015 for the 84th Legislative Session.
Texas lawmakers added more than 800 proposals Friday to the agenda ahead of the bill-filing deadline. After Friday, lawmakers have to get approval from their chambers to file a bill.
Full Story
UT Regent nominee Steven Hicks, along with Sara Martinez Tucker and David Beck, await questions from Senate Nominations during Feb. 26, 2015 hearing.
All three of Gov. Greg Abbott's University of Texas regent appointees were confirmed by the Texas Senate on Wednesday.
Full Story
A sexual assault evidence collection kit.
The Texas A&M Health Science Center is asking state lawmakers for $2 million to start a first-of-its-kind degree program that would train forensic nurses in treating patients and gathering evidence in suspected sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and other cases.
Full Story
Enlarge
photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
UT System Board of Regents Chairman Paul Foster during a meeting on Dec. 12, 2013.
Two of the three candidates on the short list to be president of the University of Texas at Austin remain in the hunt, sources say. The front-runner comes with a very good pedigree — and a very large price tag.
Full Story
In an email sent to legislative staffers, a DPS captain warns of "glitter bombs" being sent to lawmakers and attaches a document titled "Glitter Bombing: Weapon of Choice for Gay Rights, Pro Choice Advocates."
Full Story
UT Regent nominee David Beck scans the audience at the Senate Nominations Committee hearing Feb. 26, 2015.
After grilling Gov. Greg Abbott’s three University of Texas System regent appointees last week, the Senate Committee on Nominations on Thursday recommended all of them to the full Senate for confirmation.
Full Story
Enlarge
photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
State Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, and state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo.
Leaders in the Texas House are looking to phase out an incentive-based student loan program and redirect its funding toward a larger financial aid program that is based on need.
Full Story
Enlarge
photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
UT President Bill Powers speaks during a UT Board of Regents meeting on July 10th, 2014
After meeting behind closed doors for almost seven hours, the University of Texas System Board of Regents did not name a finalist to replace Bill Powers as president of the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday.
Full Story
Enlarge
photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
UT System Board of Regents Chairman Paul Foster during a meeting on Dec. 12, 2013.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents will meet Wednesday to discuss who will replace Bill Powers as president of UT-Austin, but sources cautioned the board might not reach an immediate decision on a lone finalist.
Full Story
University of Texas Regent nominees Sara Martinez Tucker, R.Steven Hicks and David Beck await questioning at Senate Nominations Committee hearing on Feb. 26, 2015.
Senators grilled Gov. Greg Abbott's appointees to the University of Texas System Board of Regents for more than five hours on Thursday, publicly rehashing the drama that has plagued the system's flagship university in recent years.
Full Story
University of Texas System Regent Steven Hicks listens to a speech at the meeting on May 12, 2011.
Gov. Greg Abbott's first three nominations for UT regents will seek the blessings of the Senate nominations committee at a Thursday hearing. The far right is grumbling about two of them.
Full Story