Keili Harrisons Writing Samples:

Sample #1:
Q&A
Tracy Dahlby, a native of the Pacific Northwest and 20-year resident of Manhattan, found
his footing slightly south in a place he likes to call, the city of becomings. When hes not at
home taking care of his spoiled pup, Stanley, the former foreign correspondent and
freelance journalist spends his time teaching journalism classes at the University of Texas
and delving into his own writing, the activity he calls upon when channeling his creative
self. In a recent contribution to National Geographics My Town series, Dahlby takes his
readers on journey through Austins creativity sparking atmosphere and exposes its habit of
pushing one to truly find oneself. I chatted with Dahlby about his own experiences in Austin,
which began 10 years ago, as well as his current duties as a professor and how in the world
he relaxes while living in the fastest growing metropolitan area.
Dahlbys family instilled in him early on the idea that adventure is the proper destination
for a good and interesting life. Its a simple recipe that drove the self-proclaimed
workaholic as a travelling journalist and one that now urges him to keep moving forward
toward fresh adventures - even if that means retiring what hes always known for a pair of
cowboy boots.

Would you call yourself a true Texan now, boots and all?
The question of being sculpted into a true Texan is not for me to answer, thats for other
Texans to answer, right? But Im working up to going on another boot buying expedition.
The first one ended with me buying two pairs of Chuck Taylor All-Stars instead, one maroon
and one black. [Laughing] That was nostalgia speaking. I wore them when I played
basketball, but they cost $12 in that day, not $80. I like the Chuck Taylors. Im gonna stick
with those for a while.

How did you make the leap from Manhattan to Austin?

I kind of graduated myself from a 9-5 job and became an independent journalist, did
documentary films, wrote a couple of books and wrote for National Geographic while living
in the hustle and bustle of New York. We were ready for a change. The job opportunity at UT
came up and we moved here not knowing what we were getting into. But I think we were at
the right moment in our lives to really enjoy the more laid back feel of Austin.

What about the city attracted you?

Its the local culture, the great food and music that we love so much. But the livewire vibe of
a mecca for the young creative gives it a compelling energy. You can go to a lot of places
with good food and pleasant scenery, but the soul isnt there. I dont think well ever leave.
But my wife, being a real estate agent, is always scanning the universe, looking at places like
Maui. Its her hobby, so she may have a different opinion.

How do your current professional duties compare to your relaxation routine?

People look at professors and think, Wow you only teach two classes, what a great job! But
I work seven days a week and am as busy now as I ever was in my career. I enjoy it, so I may
be a workaholic. In my free time I try to do a little bit of my own writing, which can be very
frustrating and labor intensive when looking for a way into my story. But when I sit down
and time starts to disappear, I know Im involved in some kind of creative activity. The other
day I was almost late to my own class because I was so absorbed in what I was doing. That
kind of creative work is sometimes like backbreaking labor, but when you get to the point
where youve paid your dues, it becomes pretty enjoyable.

Do you ever reminisce on your time in the field?

Its inevitable. I miss being on the road, responsible for only myself and my work. But Im
not one to get lost in the past and make excuses for not moving forward. A student pointed
out to me, Youre old, why are you still trying so hard? And I realized you have two
choices. You can either sit on your laurels or you can forge ahead. Thats what I want to do,
keep moving forward.

Sample #2:
AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 302, a Sunset Advisory Commission
bill authored by Sen. Kirk Watson, a Democrat from Austin, recommending the continuation
of the State Bar of Texas. Though there was initial dispute on the agencys most needed
changes, the Senate agreed in a unanimous 31-0 vote on the importance of the agencys
existence for Texas law.

According to its website, the State Bar of Texas is an administrative agency of the states
judicial branch that provides educational programs for the legal profession and the public,
administers the Minimum Continuing Legal Education program for attorneys and manages
the grievance process.

Each year the Sunset Advisory Commission reviews a handful of state agencies and the need
for, performance of and improvements to the agency under review. The commission
compiles its investigation, along with recommendations for the agency, into a bill ready for
the Legislature.

If the bill is not passed, the agency will be abolished.

Katharine Teleki, a Commission review director, said in the Commission report that it,
made no dramatic recommendations to reorganize the State Bar. But it did suggest
strengthening the State Bars process for updating rules and procedures governing attorney
conduct and disciplinary process.

The State Bar currently operates under a referendum rule making process, allowing the
attorneys to vote on any disciplinary rule by which theyre governed.

The most recent attempt to revise the disciplinary rules took about six years, Watson said
in a recent Senate Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence committee hearing, It alienated many
attorneys and resulted in no changes whatsoever.

Watson said this 2011 example became the focus of the Sunset Commissions review.
The improved rule making process in Senate Bill 302 creates a committee on disciplinary
rules and referendum. It provides specific deadlines, public input requirements and
transparency provisions that are designed to prevent past problems from reoccurring, he
said.

However, the new process would maintain the attorneys right to vote on proposed
disciplinary rules, because this, what Watson calls a safeguard, has served the states legal
profession well for decades.
Michelle Hunter, executive director of the bar, responded to the Sunset recommendations.
We agree with the sunset staff that our rule making process can and will be improved with
adjusted changes, she said during hearing testimony, The only concern weve heard
regarding the sunset recommendations and SB 302 is the provision requiring change to
membership dues to be approved through the state bars existing budget process instead of
the referendum process.

Rich Robins, a Houston lawyer and editor of nonprofit TexasBarSunset.com, shared the
concern.

The Bar gets almost $50 million a year and it has almost 30 employees who make six figure
incomes, he said at the committee hearing for the sunset bill, These employees trying to
raise the dues are doing various things to protect the gravy train more than the public.
Will Adams, a lawyer practicing in Katy and vice president of Texas Trial Lawyers
Association legislative branch, believes that because it is required of all lawyers to be a
member of the bar, the referendum process on significant fee increases provides an
important check and balance.

Lawyers are officers of the court and they take their responsibilities seriously, he said as a
member of the committee hearing panel, and they will intelligently and thoroughly
consider any referendum on a bar dues increase and would vote accordingly.

Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Republican from Minola, worked with Adams and TTLA to draft an
amendment that would appease all concerned parties.

Under Hughes proposal, the bars board of directors can increase bar dues without a
referendum only if the increase is 10 percent or less than that of the increase six years prior.
The State Bar has not seen a due increase in 27 years.

Shannon Edmonds, staff attorney with the Texas District and County Attorneys Association,
suggested a second amendment during the hearing to narrow the language on rule changes
by petition.

Currently, the State Bar can receive a rule change on a petition with any 20,000 signatures
from anywhere.

The final version of Edmonds amendment requires 51 percent of the signatures to be those
of Texas residents.

The sunset bill and its two amendments passed easily through the Senate and are expected
to do the same in the House.

Watson said he looks forward to working with the House, to ensure these bills are finally
passed and signed by the governor.

Sample #3:
AUSTIN, Texas Texas lawmakers responded to the growing problem of improper
relationships in schools between students and employees by filing a handful of bills to
combat the issue.
Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Republican from Houston, sponsored Senate Bill 7, which expands
potential prosecution to employees without a teaching certificate, employees who turn a
blind eye and to those committing the offense in a different district than which they teach or
work.

The bill also proposes automatic revocation of a teaching certificate for those found to be
having relationships with students, creating strict social media policies and giving the Texas
Education Association greater subpoena power.

The problem can be measured by the fact that there have been 97 cases opened by the TEA
through Jan. 31 of this fiscal year in the state, as compared to 68 last year, Bettencourt said
in a telephone interview, Thats a 43% increase.

The TEA was granted initial subpoena power of relevant documents in the last legislative
session through a bill sponsored by Bettencourt.

This session Bettencourt hopes to see even more authority given to the agency.
The TEA sent its director of educator investigations, Doug Phillips, to speak for
Bettencourts bill at a Senate Education Committee Meeting Thursday.

Phillips said oftentimes students resist testifying against the people with whom theyve had
relationships because he or she has developed legitimate feelings for the educator.
We cant sustain the case because the person accused is denying it and the victim says it
didnt happen, he said, Its very difficult.

With extended subpoena power, the TEA would have the authority to call upon other
persons involved friends, parents, coworkers as witnesses.

However, some superintendents are critical of potential legislation on inappropriate

relationships, feeling that necessary laws are already in place and the proposed bills are just
a shot in the dark.

In a Texas Tribune article, Buck Gilcrease, Alvin ISD superintendent and the chair of the
Texas Association of School Administrators voiced his concern on the bills, saying most
employers, and offenders, receive sufficient training.

"I personally feel it comes down to terrible, immoral actions done by those people," he said.
Bettencourt said he believes with strict social media policies added into the mix, the portal
through which many improper relationships begin, inappropriate communication between
student and educator would drastically decrease.

People may not have changed but the ability to contact each other has substantially
changed, he said.

Hi bill would require school districts to adopt written policies concerning electronic
communication between a school employee and a student.

Sen. Van Taylor, a Republican from Plano, sponsored a similar senate bill 653.
Bettencourt said he looks forward to having his bill heard by the House Education
Committee and Chairman in his continued attempt to stamp out the issue and end this,
statewide plague.

Sample #4:

AUSTIN, Texas - Senate Bill 7 is heading to the House floor after the House Public
Education Committee unanimously approved its version of the bill.

Sen. Paul Bettencourt filed SB 7 in November to fight the growing epidemic of

improper student and teacher relationships.

The problem can be measured by the fact that there have been 97 cases opened by
the TEA through Jan. 31 of this fiscal year in the state, as compared to 68 last year,
Bettencourt said in phone interview, Thats a 43% increase.

DeEtta Culbertson, a Texas Education Association information specialist, said the

TEA has opened 62 more cases since January.

According to a press release from Bettencourts office, SB 7 expands the TEAs

investigative authority, calls for automatic revocation of teaching certificate if
offender receives deferred adjudication for an educator misconduct offense or any
offense that would require them to register as a sex offender and expands reporting
requirements to include principals, with penalties for failing to report.

But the House and the Senate are at odds with the level of punishment for failing to
report impropriety in schools.

Under Bettencourts bill, a superintendent or principal could be charged with a Class

A misdemeanor upon failure to report improper educator misconduct.

The House wants to reduce that to an administrative penalty of up to $500.

Romiro Canales, an assistant executive director with the Texas Association of School
Administrators, said during hearing testimony that an increase in reports filed and
investigations conducted shows that superintendents take responsible action
without the threat of criminal liability.

We dont agree with any provision that would impose criminal liability on
superintendents for failure to report because theyre not doing that, he said,
Theyre already following the law.

Amendment negotiations are underway and will have to be approved by both

chambers before theyre sent off to the governor.
Bettencourt says he is sure all differences regarding SB 7 will be worked out.
A handful of similar bills exist in both the House and Senate, including SB 7s
companion House Bill 3769, authored by Rep. Ken King, a Republican from
Canadian.

Bettencourts bill has gained the most traction in the legislature.

Inappropriate relationships between students and educators must be stamped out,

period. Were talking about the health and safety of our kids. We cannot afford to
turn a blind eye or sweep these issues under the rug, Bettencourt said, Students
are irrevocably changed by these improprieties.