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Texas Longhorns football players ask for removal of 'Eyes of Texas' as school song

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UT football players are asking for changes to the campus.

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Multiple members of the Texas Longhorns football team issued a series of requests in an effort to bring attention to the University of Texas at Austin's racist past.

On June 12, at least a dozen members of the football team, including Brennan Eagles and Josh Thompson, tweeted the list of demands along with the UT's motto, "What starts here changes the world" and the hashtag #WeAreOne.

"As ambassadors, it is our duty to utilize our voice and role as leaders in the community to push for change to the benefit of the entire UT community," reads the statement. "The recent events across the country regarding racial injustice have brought to light the systemic racism that has always been prevalent in our country as well as the racism that has historically plagued our campus."

The football team said that while they will continue to practice, workout, and prep for the upcoming season, they will not participate in donor- or recruitment-related activities until the changes are made. As of press time, the tweets were already being retweeted by UT student athletes in other sports and picking up national traction with outlets like ESPN.

Among the team's requests:

Changing the names of Robert Lee Moore Hall, Painter Hall, Littlefield Hall, James Hogg Auditorium
Replacement of problematic statues with works by artists of color
Freshman education on the history of racism at UT
An outreach program for inner-city youth in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio
A more diverse hall of fame, including a permanent exhibit about Black UT athletes
Replacing the "Eyes of Texas," which can trace its origins back to Robert E. Lee, as the school's song
UT Athletics donating .5 percent of its multimillion-dollar earnings to Black organizations and Black Lives Matter

The Texas athletic program brought in $223.9 million last year, according to the Austin American-Statesman. With that kind of money, let's hope the ears of Texas administrators are listening.

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WFH life

Austin plugs in as 2nd cheapest large U.S. city for remote workers

Photo by Lewis Guapo on Unsplash

Working remotely in Austin is far more affordable than many other U.S. cities.

Austin's thriving telework industry is already known for being among the most prominent in the country, and as it turns out, it's one of the most affordable, too. A recent study by online retailer The Perfect Rug has revealed Austin is the No. 2 cheapest U.S. city center for remote work.

The report ranked the top 10 largest U.S. cities based on population data, the number of coworking spaces and cafes per capita, statewide average internet speeds, average apartment rent prices, and more.

Austin falls second to the far west Texas city of El Paso (No. 1), and is followed by Houston in the No. 3 spot.

When it comes to finding the best place to work remotely, Austin has an abundance of options including coffee shops, coworking spaces, and local library branches. According to the report's data, there are about six coworking spaces and 26 cafes per capita in the city, but Austinites know best that there is a much wider variety of places to work from "home" than whatever number a study determines.

The average internet speed in Texas is 425.9 mbps (megabits per second), which is the fourth-highest internet speed out of the six total states (and the District of Columbia) mentioned in the study. Pennsylvania, Washington, and Washington, D.C. all have faster average internet speeds, at 430.8, 451, and 473.8 mpbs, respectively.

The Perfect Rug also calculated the average costs for meals, coffee, and monthly rent in Austin:

$1,467 per month – Average apartment rent cost in central Austin
$21 per hour – Average cost for a desk at a coworking space
$16.99 – Average cost for a meal
$5.36 – Average cost for a coffee

Furthermore, Austin-based remote workers are technically saving on fuel costs compared to those who have to commute into the city daily for their jobs.

A spokesperson for The Perfect Rug said Texas cities like El Paso, Austin, and Houston are far more popular for "budget-conscious" remote workers partially because rent costs are far lower in comparison to many other U.S. cities.

"On the other hand, cities like Washington, D.C., and Seattle, while more expensive, compensate with faster internet speeds and a higher density of workspaces, which can enhance the remote work experience," the spokesperson said. "Finding the right balance between cost and amenities is key for remote workers seeking both productivity and affordability."

Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio ranked as the fifth most affordable city for teleworkers, followed by Dallas (No. 7).

The top 10 cheapest U.S. cities for remote workers are:

No. 1 – El Paso, Texas
No. 2 – Austin, Texas
No. 3 – Houston, Texas
No. 4 – Seattle, Washington
No. 5 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 6 – Washington, D.C.
No. 7 – Dallas, Texas
No. 8 – Denver, Colorado
No. 9 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 10 – Nashville, Tennessee

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