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University of Austin

Coordinates: 30°17′06″N 97°44′43″W / 30.2850°N 97.7453°W / 30.2850; -97.7453
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For the public university, see University of Texas at Austin.

University of Austin
MottoDare to Think
TypePrivate liberal arts college
EstablishedNovember 8, 2021; 2 years ago (2021-11-08)
FoundersJoe Lonsdale
Pano Kanelos
Niall Ferguson
Bari Weiss
Religious affiliation
Nonsectarian
Endowment$200 million (2023)[1]
PresidentPano Kanelos
ProvostJacob Howland
Academic staff
23
Students0
Location
Austin
,
Texas
,
78701
,
U.S.

30°17′06″N 97°44′43″W / 30.2850°N 97.7453°W / 30.2850; -97.7453
Websiteuaustin.org
The Scarborough Building in Austin, the current home of UATX

The University of Austin (UATX) is a private nonsectarian liberal arts university located in Austin, Texas.[2][3] The university has established a campus in downtown Austin's Scarbrough Building, and will enroll its first undergraduate cohort in the fall of 2024.[1]

The University of Austin plans to be accredited between 2028 and 2031.[4] Students are not eligible for federal financial aid, but the founding class has been offered free tuition.[5][6] The initial faculty and students are expected to be mostly individuals holding conservative and libertarian views.[7]

History

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According to the school's website, the University of Austin was conceived in May 2021 when venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale, St. John's College president Pano Kanelos, scholar Niall Ferguson, and journalist Bari Weiss met in Austin, Texas.[8] The proposal was publicized six months later in an article by Kanelos in Weiss's Substack newsletter Common Sense (now The Free Press).[9][10]

Founding faculty fellows included Peter Boghossian, Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Hoover Institution), and Kathleen Stock.[11] Other advisors included former Harvard President Lawrence Summers, former ACLU President Nadine Strossen, and former president of the American Enterprise Institute Arthur Brooks.[10] UATX reported that they were seeking accreditation[3][9][11][12][13] through the Higher Learning Commission.[14]

In November 2021, the university's website listed Robert Zimmer, Larry Summers, John Nunes, Gordon Gee, Steven Pinker, Deirdre McCloskey, Leon Kass, Jonathan Haidt, Glenn Loury, Joshua Katz, Vickie Sullivan, Geoffrey Stone, Bill McClay, and Tyler Cowen as advisors to the university.[15] Writing in The Week, Samuel Goldman noted that no prominent members of the board of advisors had resigned their academic appointments to join the UATX faculty, suggesting that their "lack of personal commitment casts doubt on the value of their support."[16] Kathleen Stock clarified that her role was not full-time, and that she would not move to Austin.[11] Pinker said that although he was part of the advisory board, he had no plans to teach there, and resigned from the board.[17] Gee said "Serving in an advisory capacity does not mean I believe or agree with everything that other advisers may share. I do not agree other universities are no longer seeking the truth nor do I feel that higher education is irreparably broken."[18]

On November 11, 2021, Robert Zimmer announced his resignation from the university board, saying that UATX had made statements about higher education that "diverged very significantly from my own views".[19] UATX apologized for creating "unnecessary complications" for Pinker and Zimmer for not clarifying what their advisory roles entailed.[20]

According to the Austin Chronicle, the University of Austin planned to have 3,000 to 4,000 students by 2024.[21]

On June 9, 2022, the University of Austin was taking applications for its "Forbidden Courses" program with two-week-long sessions in the old (pre-1954) Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.[22] Despite the name of the university, UATX first offered classes in Dallas, Texas and not Austin. Conservative philanthropist Harlan Crow provided office space in Dallas for UATX. Crow is a major donor to the university.[23] On July 6, 2022, the school announced that Richard Dawkins had joined its advisory board.[24] In December 2022, board member Heather Heying resigned stating that the school was not adequately invested in scientific inquiry and "does not represent my scientific and pedagogical values."[25]

In October 2023, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board gave the university certification to award degrees. The school lacked accreditation at that time. The two-year certification to grant degrees can be extended for up to eight years, by which time it must achieve accreditation to continue.[1][26] A month later, UATX began accepting applications for its first four-year undergraduate cohort enrolling in Fall 2024, and established a campus in Austin's Scarbrough Building. The entire class of 100 students would receive full four-year scholarships, paid from private donations the university had raised. By November 2023, UATX had reportedly raised $200 million from 2,600 donors and received over 6,000 inquiries from potential faculty.[1] In Bloomberg, UATX reported a surge in interest from donors "horrified by the response at top-tier universities" to the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.[27]

In March 2024, UATX reported that they had formed a student debate society, the Austin Union, modeled after the Oxford Union.[28] In June, the University of Austin announced a $5 million bitcoin endowment with cryptocurrency platform Unchained.[29]

Business plan

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According to President Kanelos, the University of Austin is modeled after Johns Hopkins University, the University of Chicago, and Stanford University. In its original plan, the school would seek accreditation but not public funding.[30]

The UATX current business model includes (1) transparent pricing, (2) efficient use of public services (such as police) and partnerships with private industry (medical care, housing, and rec center), and (3) reduced administrative costs, employing virtual contractors outside the US.[31]

The founding 2024 class is expected to enroll 100 students, growing to 200 students in 2025 and 1,000 students in 2028. After the founding class, which will receive free tuition for four years, tuition is expected to be about $32,500 per year, with a large number of students to receive scholarships.[32]

Most administrative and support jobs will be outsourced to Guatemala to keep costs down. Students will share apartments where they will do their own cooking. The student body is expected to start their own clubs and activities.[33]

Constitution

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The University of Austin Constitution does not allow for a faculty senate or faculty tenure. Debate is encouraged but protests cannot interfere with education for all students.[34]

Mission

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The stated mission of the University of Austin is to prepare "thoughtful and ethical innovators, builders, leaders, public servants and citizens through open inquiry and civil discourse."[35]

Academics

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UATX plans to be a selective institution using standardized testing. It will not to use race, gender, or class in their admissions decisions, stating this is because the school "stands firmly against that sort of discrimination".[10] The school does not plan on establishing traditional majors. According to President Kanelos, the undergraduate program at will start with two years of general education requirements that include classes in philosophy, history and literature and students will take courses in the same sequence. Students will become fellows in particular areas of study during their third and fourth year.[1] Jacob Howland is the Provost.[36]

Board of Trustees

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The Board of Trustees includes Joe Lonsdale, Pano Kanelos, Scott Malkin, Niall Ferguson, Teri Andresen, and Bari Weiss, among others.[37]

Reception

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The initial announcement of the project received some positive reception,[38] including praise from Law & Liberty for ushering in "a new era in educational reform,"[39] and applause from The New Criterion for its efforts to "keep that old flame of free inquiry alive."[40] New York Times opinion columnist Ross Douthat saw the launch of a new university as a positive development, pointing out how few major universities have been established since the nineteenth century, but acknowledged how expensive doing so would be. He also saw conflicting forces in the project, including the "tension between the desire to promote great academic seriousness and the culture-war flag-waving that might be necessary to rally donor support".[41]

The project also garnered criticism. Initial responses to the project included criticism of the lack of a plan to achieve the project's goals.[3] The New York Times journalist Anemona Hartocollis questioned whether the founders would be able to "translate a provocative idea into a viable institution" while The New Republic's Alex Shephard described the plan as "largely half baked".[17][42] Jennifer Wunder, a professor at Georgia Gwinnett College who participated in the process of obtaining her institution's initial accreditation, considered the proposed timeline to establish accredited graduate and undergraduate programs to be nearly impossible to meet.[43] The proposal for a University of Austin was described by Gabriella Swerling in The Daily Telegraph[12] as "anti-cancel culture" and by Alex Shephard in The New Republic as "anti-woke".[42]

On Twitter, Weiss's former colleague Nikole Hannah-Jones, along with others, drew comparisons with Trump University.[3][18][16][44][45][46] Writing in The Washington Post, political scientist and journalist Daniel W. Drezner called comparisons between UATX and Trump University "unkind and untrue".[18] John Warner at Inside Higher Ed said "I think it is unfair to call it a scam or grift, because I have high confidence that the intentions behind the project are sincere."[43]

In February 2024, in New Republic article titled, "Austin’s Anti-Woke University Is Living in Dreamland," Morgan O'Hanlon voiced skepticism about the UATX, which would be competing with more established schools promoting an anti-woke agenda, including the University of Texas and its Civitas Institute.[47]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e McGee, Kate (November 8, 2023). "With $200 million and state approval, University of Austin is ready to start accepting applicants". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  2. ^ McGee, Kate (November 9, 2021). "The new University of Austin hopes to counter what its founders say is a culture of censorship at most colleges". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Reimann, Nicholas (November 8, 2021). "Here's What We Know About The University of Austin - The Self-Proclaimed Anti-Censorship Institution". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "UATX | FAQs". www.uaustin.org. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  5. ^ "College Navigator". National Center for Education Statistics. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  6. ^ "Scholarhips and Tuition: Need-Based Financial Aid". University of Austin. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  7. ^ "Austin's Anti-Woke University Is Living in Dreamland". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  8. ^ "UATX | Vision & Timeline". uatx.webflow.io. Archived from the original on June 20, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  9. ^ a b McHale, Patrick (November 8, 2021). "Higher-Education Critics Launch University of Austin". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Menchaca, Megan (November 8, 2021). "Coming soon: The University of Austin, focused on 'the intrepid pursuit of truth'". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Kelleher, Patrick (November 8, 2021). "Kathleen Stock helps launch new so-called university with 'forbidden courses' but no actual degrees". Pink News. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Swerling, Gabriella (November 8, 2021). "Kathleen Stock takes job at anti-cancel culture university that welcomes 'thought criminals'". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021.
  13. ^ Jones, Sarah (November 8, 2021). "Who's Afraid of Higher Education?". Intelligencer. New York Magazine. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021.
  14. ^ Olivares, Valeria (November 9, 2021). "University of Austin launched by college critics in response to a culture of 'censorship'". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  15. ^ Wong, Julia Carrie (November 17, 2021). "The new anti-woke academics say the universities are 'broken'. But they aren't giving up their tenured day jobs". The Guardian.
  16. ^ a b Goldman, Samuel (November 9, 2021). "The University of Austin has a good hook. Now for the hard part". The Week. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Hartocollis, Anemona (November 9, 2021). "They Say Colleges Are Censorious. So They Are Starting a New One". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Drezner, Daniel W. (November 10, 2021). "Perspective | What is the University of Austin's purpose?". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  19. ^ "Statement from Chancellor Robert J. Zimmer on his role for the University of Austin". University of Chicago (Press release). November 15, 2021. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  20. ^ "UATX Statement about Robert Zimmer and Steven Pinker". University of Austin (Press release). November 15, 2021. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  21. ^ O'Hanlon, Morgan. "Newly Announced University of Austin Struggles to Make the Grade". Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  22. ^ Partain, Claire (June 9, 2022). "Fledgling University of Austin to start 'Forbidden Courses' this month". Austonia. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022.
  23. ^ Rawlings, Noah (February 19, 2024). "An American Education: Notes from UATX". The New Inquiry. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  24. ^ "Renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins joins UATX". University of Austin (Press release). July 6, 2022. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  25. ^ Heying, Heather (December 6, 2022). "On resigning from the Board of the University of Austin". Natural Selections. Heather Heying. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.[self-published source]
  26. ^ "Quarterly Board Agenda". Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. October 2023. p. 120. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  27. ^ Maglione, Francesca (November 17, 2023). "Ivy League Backlash Draws Money, Students to Upstart University in Texas". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  28. ^ "University of Austin (UATX), Launches Debate Society, the Austin Union". University of Austin (Press release). March 4, 2024. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  29. ^ Hagan, Shelly (June 3, 2024). "Bari Weiss' University Is Creating a Bitcoin Fund for Endowment". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  30. ^ Rick, Seltzer. "University of Austin shared a worldview, but does it have a business plan?". www.highereddive.com. Higher Ed Dive. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  31. ^ "Higher Education Is Broken. Can The University of Austin Offer a Better Model?". texasceomagazine.com. Texas CEO Magazine. June 8, 2022. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  32. ^ "Scholarships and Financial Aid". www.uaustin.org. University of Austin. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  33. ^ Jacobs, Joanne (May 7, 2024). "Can the New University of Austin Revive the Culture of Inquiry in Higher Education?". www.educationnext.org. Education Next. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  34. ^ Ferguson, Niall (Winter 2024). "The Constitution of Academic Liberty". National Affairs. American Enterprise Institute. Archived from the original on June 16, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  35. ^ "UATX | Our Principles". www.uaustin.org. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  36. ^ "Jacob Howland". www.uaustin.org. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  37. ^ "UATX | Our People". www.uaustin.org. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  38. ^ Vedder, Richard K. (May 19, 2023). "A Collegiate Renaissance?". James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  39. ^ Mendenhall, Allen (November 12, 2021). "Time for a New University?". Law&Liberty. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  40. ^ "The new order: On the University of Austin". The New Criterion. Vol. 42, no. 3. December 2021. p. 2. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021.
  41. ^ Douthat, Ross (November 10, 2021). "Opinion | Why We Need New Colleges". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  42. ^ a b Shephard, Alex (November 8, 2021). "Do We Really Need an Anti-Woke University?". The New Republic. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  43. ^ a b Warner, John (November 9, 2021). "What the University of Austin Gets Right | Inside Higher Ed". Inside Higher Ed. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  44. ^ Ellefson, Lindsey (November 8, 2021). "Bari Weiss and Andrew Sullivan's New University of Austin Is Already Getting Trump University Comparisons". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  45. ^ Griffing, Alex (November 8, 2021). "Bari Weiss Announces University Dedicated Pursuing 'Truth'". Mediaite. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  46. ^ Friel, Katie (November 8, 2021). "Brand-new 'University of Austin' launches, immediately mocked on Twitter". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  47. ^ O'Hanlon, Morgan (February 16, 2024). "Austin's Anti-Woke University Is Living in Dreamland". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.

Further reading

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