The Future of Higher Ed Is in Austin

Grayson Oliver came to the University of Texas at Austin three years ago as a freshman. A closeted queer kid from a small, conservative community near Fort Worth, he was one in the long line of students who’ve flocked to this quintessential college town, for decades considered a mecca for slackers, misfits and artists. And, like many students before him, Oliver blossomed on campus: He came out, joined student government and found a close circle of friends.

It was a sunny winter day when we spoke—crop-top weather in February—and all around Oliver, students lounged on a grassy quad, headphones over their ears, scrolling. But the bucolic scene belied an underlying malaise at Texas’ flagship university, Oliver told me, a pervasive atmosphere of anxiety and confusion. “There’s a lot of uncertainty right now,” he said. “It’s sad, and it’s hard.”