Senate Bill 17, “Responsibility of Governing Boards Regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives,” was signed into law by the Texas Governor and goes into effect January 1, 2024. The University of Texas System has developed policy and working guidance to assist institutions with implementing the bill’s requirements. 

UT remains committed to supporting all members of the Longhorn community in all of their endeavors.
 

Given the increasing complexity of the university’s environment determining the “right thing,” is not always easy. To choose the right action in a given situation we need to have an understanding of the laws, regulations, and policies which apply to us as members of the university community. UT's Compliance and Ethics Guide provides a brief overview of the significant topics of importance for assuring that we operate in a legally compliant and ethical environment.

It is the policy of the State of Texas and The University of Texas at Austin that TikTok or other prohibited technologies may not be loaded on state issued computers or other devices, or personal devices used to conduct state business, including email.
Texas Senate Bill 1893 prohibits the use of certain applications on state issued computers or other devices. The University of Texas System has developed policy, UTS 200, implementing the bill’s requirements.

Our office uses a variety of methods to engage the UT community in conversations about ethics. We want to encourage people to consider ethics in everything we do, build an understanding of holding ourselves accountable, and discuss ethical issues in a meaningful way.

The University of Texas at Austin is committed to protecting the expressive rights of persons guaranteed by the constitutions of the United States and of this State by affirming the freedoms of speech, expression, and assembly are fundamental rights of all persons; recognizing these freedoms are central to the mission of the University; and ensuring that all persons may assemble peaceably on its campus for expressive activities, including to listen to or observe the expressive activities of others.

We believe every person at every level within our organization has an obligation to perform his or her duties with the highest degree of honesty and integrity. If you suspect someone is behaving illegally or unethically, please speak up and report your concerns.