Austin, TX
UT-Austin spares pro-Palestinian protesters from suspension, offers them probation instead
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The University of Texas at Austin has begun disciplining students who were arrested in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in April, scolding them for their actions but offering them a path to avoid suspension.
In letters sent out to students this week, first reported by KUT, university officials said it would be appropriate to suspend them for their actions during the protests but would give them the option to take “deferred suspension” instead, a form of probation that would allow students to remain in class and keep the disciplinary action from appearing on their final transcripts.
“Recognizing our commitment to educational growth, we want to offer you an alternative path to avoid suspension by proving that you have learned from this experience,” reads one of the letters obtained by The Texas Tribune.
Students who choose deferred suspension must agree to take an exam testing their knowledge of the university’s rules and agree not to appeal the decision. The status would be active until July 7, 2025.
Those who decline that option would be suspended, the letter says. Students may also appeal the disciplinary sanctions through a university hearing.
Ari Lenahan, a UT-Austin student set to graduate in December, said he was relieved the university offered him deferred suspension since students at other universities across the country are facing harsher punishments after participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. He said it may be the best choice for him since he aims to graduate this year.
“It’s a lot clearer where I stand now, at least in the university’s eyes,” he said.
Lenahan still has a hold on his account preventing him from registering for classes in the fall but said the letter he received Wednesday states any holds will be removed once his case is resolved.
Anne-Marie Jardine, a recent graduate, received a sanction letter concerning her involvement in an April 24 pro-Palestinian demonstration. Jardine was told she would be under deferred suspension for one year if she were to re-enroll at UT-Austin. Jardine said she hasn’t received her official diploma from the university yet.
Many other students under investigation have not yet been informed about how the university plans to move forward with their cases. Sam Law, a PhD candidate who was arrested on April 29, said that he expects the university will contact him soon.
More than 130 protesters were arrested at pro-Palestinian demonstrations on UT-Austin’s campus in late April. In resolute efforts to dispel the protesters, law enforcement at the time deployed pepper spray and flash-bang explosives and charged students with horses. State troopers were deployed by Gov. Greg Abbott to help quash the protests and had a hand in the arrests.
Those arrested were charged with criminal trespassing but Travis County Attorney Delia Garza declined to pursue those charges.
In the aftermath of the protest, many students, faculty and free speech advocates questioned UT-Austin’s heavy-handed response to the protests and criticized state GOP leaders’ support of the arrests. Just a few years ago, Abbott had championed state legislation that protected free speech on college campuses, leading free speech advocates to ask who gets to enjoy free speech protections in Texas.
UT-Austin leaders, meanwhile, have vowed to carry out discipline against students who violated campus policies. Seniors in the class of 2024 were afraid their diplomas would be withheld, though they were permitted to join graduation ceremonies in the spring.
Sneha Dey contributed to this story.
Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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Austin, TX
Former Texas Longhorns Guard Transfers to Big 12 Team

AUSTIN — A former Texas Longhorns guard is headed back to the Big 12 for the 2025-26 season after another offseason in the transfer portal.
Per reports from Tobias Bass of The Athletic, former Texas guard Chris Johnson will transfer to the UCF Knights after spending this past season with the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. He averaged 10.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in just three appearances for SFA.
Johnson played with the Longhorns during the 2023-24 season before hitting the transfer portal last offseason.
A Missouri City (Houston) native and four-star guard in the 2023 class, Johnson played at prestigious Montverde Academy where he was teammates with notable names like Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Georgia’s Asa Newell, Maryland’s Derik Queen, UConn’s Liam McNeeley, Ohio State’s Sean Stewart and more.
Johnson originally signed with the Kansas Jayhawks in 2022 but de-committed and was released from his letter of intent in June 2023. He eventually arrived to Austin for 2023-24 season ahead of the first full year under coach Rodney Terry.
Johnson played in a reserve role in his only season at Texas. He played in 17 games with the Longhorns, averaging just 1.1 points in 4.5 minutes per contest. He got playing time at Madison Square Garden in the Empire Classic against Louisville and eventual national champion UConn. In the loss to the Huskies, Johnson saw five minutes of action while recording one rebound.
With Stephen F. Austin this past season, Johnson scored a career-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists in a win over University of Dallas (Division III) in November. He then had five points in 15 minutes against the Drake Bulldogs, a team that finished with a 31-4 record and made it to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament this season.
As for the current Longhorns, new head coach Sean Miller has rebuilt the roster with portal additions of Xavier forward Dailyn Swain, St. John’s guard Simeon Wilcher, Xavier forward Lassina Traore, Purdue forward Camden Heide and Florida Atlantic center Matas Vokietaitis.
Austin, TX
Austin creative collective pushes past funding loss with summer events

This month, Austin’s art scene is exploring how history, identity, and relationships shape creative expression. At the Blanton Museum, A Family Affair: Artistic Dynasties of Europe (Part I, 1500-1700) showcases intricate woodcuts and etchings by European printmaking families, revealing an evolution over generations. Similarly, In Creative Harmony: Three Artistic Partnerships examines collaboration and legacy.
Other exhibitions delve into individual experiences and their intersections with the environment. Aisha Imdad’s The Allegorical Gardens at Women & Their Work combines miniature painting with sensory elements to evoke the garden as a space of healing and cultural memory. Meanwhile, Relational Earth at the Doughtery Art Center explores the connections between ecology and human experience through textured, site-specific works.
Whether focused on familial bonds, cultural roots, or the natural world, these exhibitions highlight the diverse ways artists engage with themes of legacy and belonging.
A piece from Lance Myers: “Frequencies in the Static Bloom.”Image courtesy of Lance Myers via Wally Workman Gallery
Blanton Museum
Group Exhibition: A Family Affair: Artistic Dynasties of Europe (Part I, 1500-1700) — Now through June 15
Woodcuts, etchings, and engravings across a nearly 200-year span are on display in this group exhibition. Together, the pieces tell the story of 16 European printmaking families. A Family Affair looks at the striking similarities and drastic differences families make in their creative work over generations. Incredibly detailed and intricate work, these etchings show both high fantasy scenes and realistic renderings. Persian ambassadors, dragons, drinkers, and sorcery all find their way into these works.
Group Exhibition: In Creative Harmony: Three Artistic Partnerships— Now through July 20
Featuring six artists, this group exhibition looks at how artists are inspired through intergenerational connections, friendships, and family. Mexican printmakers José Guadalupe Posada and Artemio Rodríguez use dark humor in their works to interrogate social injustices. Arshile Gorky and Isamu Noguchi’s works reunite collaborative drawings the pair made in 1939. Mother-daughter pair Nora Naranjo Morse and Eliza Naranjo Morse work together for the first time at this scale to create an immersive artistic environment.
Doughtery Art Center
London Farris: Swammer — Now through June 21
This mixed media series was inspired by Farris’ experience as a swimmer, exploring body image, identity, and the challenges of competitive swimming. The artist uses shifting colors and tones to reflect the different phases of her journey, depicting the toll of competition and joy of celebration. Through rich textures, Farris highlights the resilience and beauty of athletes, offering a glimpse into their everyday realities.
Lindsey Millikan: Tides and Time — Now through June 21
Millikan blends celestial and aquatic elements, bold patterns, and surreal landscapes to explore the past, present, and future. Central figures transcend reality, inviting the viewer closer. Rooted in fine art and mural traditions, the work offers perspectives on the human psyche and our evolving world.
Melinda Barsales and Rachel Long: Relational Earth — Now through June 21
Relation Earth is a collaborative exhibition between Barsales and Long, looking at the connections between place, ecology, and the human experience. Melding visual, performing, and healing arts, the artists reconnect with the natural world through collage, texture, and site-inspired works, exploring reflection and belonging.
“Home” by Rachel Long.Image courtesy of Rachel Long via the Dougherty Arts Center
Lora Reynolds Gallery
Ewan Gibbs: TX/NY— Now through June 28
Gibbs’ intricate grayscale drawings celebrate the gallery’s 20th anniversary. Known for his meticulous “pin-pointillism,” Gibbs translates iconic landmarks like New York’s Empire State Building and symbolic Texas imagery into delicate, grid-based compositions. His works reflect a lifelong dedication to precision and capturing the passage of time. A highlight is Gibbs’ portrait of Lora Reynolds, created over seven months with 20 pencil grades, symbolizing their decades-long friendship and shared artistic journey.
Women & Their Work
Aisha Imdad: The Allegorical Garden — Now through July 3
Imdad draws inspiration from Indian, Mughal, and Persian miniatures and frescos, reflecting the artistic traditions of her birthplace, Pakistan. Her work blends traditional painting techniques with a contemporary approach. Imdad’s latest series, The Allegorical Gardens, explores the garden as a symbol of paradise, healing, and cultural memory. Through intricate large-scale paintings paired with sensory elements such as floral scents and birdsong, she creates immersive sanctuaries that celebrate the garden’s significance.
Austin Central Library
Group Exhibition: Roots Unveiled: Exploring the Chinese Experience — Now through August 31
This interdisciplinary project mixes traditional visual art with modern video storytelling to explore the Chinese American experience in Texas. Michael Wei, a prominent vlog artist, presents a video series highlighting the stories of Austin’s ten legendary Chinese Americans. Through curated still-life compositions and narratives of Chinese immigrants since the 1800s, the project offers a dynamic multimedia perspective on their journey and contributions.
Untitled painting by June Xu.Image courtesy of June Xu via the Austin Public Library
Wally Workman Gallery
Lance Myers: Frequencies in Static Bloom— June 7 through July 6
Myers’ oil paintings capture surreal scenes rendered in fine detail. From large beetles feasting on oranges to despondent artists sitting before their work, Myers bounces between painting still life and figurative pieces. Many of the pieces capture people in private moments of reflection, creating an intimate, almost voyeuristic connection with the viewer. Bursting across the canvas, Myers’ work showcases vivid, dynamic imagery.
Austin, TX
Southtown Web Design & Digital Marketing Now Serving Austin, TX Businesses with SEO, Web Design & Digital Marketing Services

San Antonio, TX – Southtown Web Design & Digital Marketing, a trusted name in web design and SEO for San Antonio businesses, is proud to announce an expansion of services to the Austin, TX market.
Known for helping businesses grow their online presence through custom website design, SEO strategy, and targeted digital marketing, Southtown Web Design is now welcoming clients across Austin and Central Texas.
“We’ve worked with clients throughout Texas for years,” said Michael Lorenzana, owner of Southtown Web Design & Digital Marketing. “As demand has grown from Austin-area businesses, we felt it was time to officially expand our offerings and dedicate a team to supporting the Austin community.”
Austin businesses can now take advantage of:
* Custom Website Design & Development
* Local SEO & Multi-Location SEO
* Google Business Profile Optimization
* Targeted Google Ads Management
* Content Writing & SEO Strategy
Southtown Web Design’s new Austin digital marketing services [https://www.southtowndesigns.com/austin/] page provides more details about the agency’s services now available to businesses in the Austin area.
For more information, visit https://www.southtowndesigns.com/austin/.
Media Contact
Company Name: Southtown Web Design & Digital Marketing
Contact Person: Media Relation
Email:Send Email [https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=southtown-web-design-digital-marketing-now-serving-austin-tx-businesses-with-seo-web-design-digital-marketing-services]
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