Overview
- The University of Texas at Austin terminated KUT General Manager Debbie Hiott effective Monday after presenting her with a resignation letter and then a termination letter when she refused to quit.
- UT officials told KUT they ordered major changes to the station’s inaugural festival days before the May event because organizers provided insufficient safety and planning, including concerns about police staffing and emergency response.
- Hiott has publicly disputed the university’s account, saying KUT followed university police guidance, added security staff and was not given the safety analysis UT cited when it demanded last‑minute venue changes.
- One day after the firing, UT named Gerald Johnson interim general manager and told staff he was not involved in the personnel decision and will serve briefly while a search for a permanent leader begins.
- The episode has prompted public‑records requests for the undisclosed safety analysis, drawn political attention because the festival included high‑profile speakers, and raised broader questions about how UT assesses event risk and oversees a newsroom housed on campus.