Issues: Spring 2011
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Cost of Free Speech
The Cost of Political Speech With a record $2.4 bill ion spent by candidates in the last U.S. presidential election, the “Free Speech Dialogue” held Feb. 10 delved into the…
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Retired Faculty: Spring 2011
More than 30 College of Liberal Arts professors from more than a dozen departments have retired over the past year, after spending decades serving their students and the university community.…
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In Memoriam: Spring 2011
Norval Glenn, professor emeritus of sociology, who taught for 47 years at the university, died Feb. 15. He was 77 years old. A prominent scholar of family sociology, Glenn wrote…
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Research Briefs: Spring 2011
Being Poor Can Suppress Children’s Genetic Potentials Growing up poor can suppress a child’s genetic potential to excel cognitively even before the age of 2. A study of 750 sets…
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Construction Begins on Liberal Arts Building
On Feb. 3, University of Texas Regent Steve Hicks and University of Texas at Austin President William Powers joined College of Liberal Arts faculty, students and alumni to ceremonially break…
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All Against One
Egyptian Student Rejoices from Afar I awoke that Friday morning to the sound of my phone ringing, indicating my mother was calling. Lazily, I reached over to my bedside table,…
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A Gift to Honor a Life-Changing Education
Stuart Stedman repays “debt” to Plan II Stuart W. Stedman remembers that his grades weren’t all that great when he transferred from Claremont Men’s College in California into The University…
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Jewish Studies Center Meets $6 Million Challenge Grant
The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies has matched a $6 million grant from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation, ensuring the continued growth of Jewish studies at The University of…
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Representing the Barrio and Beyond
Political Scholar Breaks New Ground in the Study of Latinos in Congress When Jason Casellas began research for his undergraduate senior dissertation on Latino political participation, he was surprised by…
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Q&A: Premarital Sex in America
Sociologists explore changing sexual landscape among college students While young women’s educational and career opportunities have skyrocketed over the past two decades, their opportunities for stable, long-term relationships have declined,…
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No Pain No Gain
Training professors to write grant proposals, win research dollars Like many young faculty members at The University of Texas at Austin, psychologist Paige Harden has big, cutting-edge research ideas. Also…
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Meet the Parents
Evolutionary psychologists reveal why parents want their children’s mates to have certain traits Psychologist Carin Perilloux is looking into a crazy little thing called love—and finding out why it’s so…
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Conversation Stoppers
Professors examine how we don’t — but should — talk openly about race in the United States First came the fiery attacks last summer as the NAACP approved a resolution…
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The Burden of the Bullied
High school’s over, but the effects may be long term High school is long past for Kelly, now 38, but she still recalls when her family relocated to a small…
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Two MacArthur Fellows, One Maya Signature Class
Professors draw from experiences to teach To put things in perspective, a college student has a higher probability of being struck by lightning than of being taught by one MacArthur…
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Learning Hebrew Gothic
Middle Eastern Studies professor wins award to study literary genre No one has ever studied it before. In fact, most scholars didn’t even recognize its existence. But thanks to the…
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Spotless Mind?
Psychologist discovers drug-free therapy could alter fear-filled memories For a military veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder the sound of a helicopter or airplane could trigger a flashback of bombing raids.…
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History Department Launches Site Aimed at the Masses
“The past is never dead, it’s not even past,” wrote William Faulkner in his 1951 novel, “Requiem for a Nun.” The University of Texas’ History Department is counting on many…
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Turning It Around for Struggling Students
UTurn gives participants one more shot Alfonso Vasquez came to The University of Texas at Austin like any other freshman, thrilled at the opportunities that lay before him. Originally from…
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Learning from Lemurs
Anthropologist studies primates, boosts local economy in Madagascar Ten thousand miles away on the island of Madagascar, University of Texas at Austin anthropologist Rebecca Lewis delves into the unusual world…
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Meeting Today’s Budget Realities While Building for the Future
As you read this issue of Life & Letters, state lawmakers here in Austin continue to debate how to close an estimated $27 billion budget gap. The final spending plan they send to Gov. Rick…
