UTA In The News — Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Tik Tok block
Universities in Texas have blocked access to Tik Tok on campus Wi-Fi, CBS DFW reported. A UTA official confirmed the decision is in response to Governor Greg Abbott’s recent directive to ban the app on all government-issued devices, citing security concerns and privacy risks. This story was also reported by KERA News, The Dallas Morning News and NBC DFW.
Cowboys conflict
In an ESPN article that explores the deeply personal impact of the Dallas Cowboys on North Texas residents, Hannah Lebovits, assistant professor of public affairs and planning, discussed how the construction of AT&T Stadium affected nearby housing. Pointing to the stadium’s location amid a growing homeless population, Lebovits commented that inequality and segregation are “baked into the built environment in a way that’s just incredibly stark.”
Protected panhandling
Hannah Lebovits, assistant professor of public affairs and planning, wrote an op-ed for the Dallas Observer about a new city ordinance to fine panhandlers. Lebovits argues that panhandling is free speech protected by the U.S. Constitution and that the ordinance unjustly criminalizes a vulnerable population.
Babers Manor
A new housing project in Fort Worth’s historic Stop Six neighborhood is named in honor of Clarence Donald Babers, UTA alumnus and former federal civil servant, reports the Fort Worth Report. During his career, Babers worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to advocate for fair housing and served as the southwest regional director for Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.