Good morning, Longhorns! It's Monday, July 21, 2025, and here's what's happening at the University of Texas at Austin. UT Austin is making significant strides in water sustainability with the development of the WaterHub, a 9,600-square-foot facility set to become the largest of its kind at a U.S. university. Scheduled to be operational by fall 2027, the WaterHub will reclaim up to 1 million gallons of wastewater daily, aiming to reduce the campus's reliance on municipal water and alleviate pressure on Austin's water supply. Located in the engineering district, the facility will also serve as a hands-on research laboratory for students and faculty. The UT System Board of Regents has approved a six-year, $32 million guaranteed contract for new Longhorns basketball coach Sean Miller. Miller, formerly of Xavier and Arizona, will start with a $4.8 million salary for the 2025-26 season, increasing by $200,000 annually. He also received a $250,000 relocation bonus and could earn up to $850,000 in annual performance-based bonuses. Miller replaces Rodney Terry, who was dismissed in March. Four current and former UT Austin students have filed a federal lawsuit against the university, Governor Greg Abbott, and law enforcement officials, alleging violations of their First Amendment rights following their arrests at an April 2024 campus protest against Israel's actions in Gaza. Represented by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the students claim the arrests and university disciplinary actions were retaliatory and aimed at suppressing pro-Palestinian speech. The lawsuit asserts that Governor Abbott, with university President Jay Hartzell’s approval, deployed state police in riot gear to detain peaceful demonstrators. An increasing number of students from the Northeast are attending Southern public universities, particularly UT Austin. Factors such as warm weather, lower tuition costs, availability of merit-based scholarships, and political climate contribute to this trend. Between 2014 and 2023, the number of Northeastern freshmen at UT more than doubled from 121 to 245. Despite this growing interest, UT's admissions are largely reserved for top Texas high school graduates due to state law, limiting the influx of out-of-state students. The Jackson School of Geosciences reports that declining levels of aerosols could lead to more heatwaves in populated areas. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent worldwide, and while rising temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions are part of the problem, the declining levels of aerosols are also contributing to this trend. Enterprise Technology has entered a first-of-its-kind partnership with Longhorn Developers, a student-led organization at UT Austin. This collaboration empowers students to build impactful technology solutions using university-grade infrastructure and support. In response to last spring’s protests that ended in arrests and confusion, UT Austin has created a new unit dedicated to free speech on campus. This unit aims to tackle students' rights and responsibilities regarding free speech, ensuring a clearer understanding and management of such events in the future. Currently, it's mostly cloudy in Austin with a temperature of 77°F. Expect mostly sunny skies throughout the day, with temperatures reaching up to 98°F by late afternoon. That's all for today's update. Stay cool and Hook 'em Horns!

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