2019 Updates
October 27, 2020
New Associate Counsel Set to Join the Office of Legal Affairs
Office of Legal Affairs
It gives us great pleasure to introduce you to the newest member of the Office of Legal Affairs – Associate Counsel, Ms. Natalee Marion.
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October 27, 2020
Copyright Infringement: A Photograph Is Worth A Thousand Dollars
Office of Legal Affairs
When creating web and promotional content, we want to market the special attributes of our departments in a polished and professional manner. What better way is there than a photograph?
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October 27, 2020
Who’s Watching Me? Online Learning in Pandemic Times
Office of Legal Affairs
The onset and spread of COVID-19 has hastened higher education’s adoption of virtual teaching, raising with it a number of novel privacy, security and technology issues.
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October 27, 2020
Recent Regulatory Developments
Office of Legal Affairs
With the upcoming election (and possible change in Administration) rapidly approaching, some federal agencies have recently issued regulatory changes or clarifications.
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July 17, 2020
That Momentous Week in June and its Potential Consequences for Higher Education
Office of Legal Affairs
The end of Spring 2020 was quite remarkable, even in this era of social distancing, face coverings and hand sanitizers spawned by COVID-19. Indeed, aside and apart from the ongoing pandemic, three recent events are bound to have far-reaching, long-term implications for many segments of society, including higher education.
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July 17, 2020
The New Hub for Outside Counsel Contracts and Invoicing
The ever-turning wheels of contracted services amidst daily university business includes one wheel which keeps UT components moving...
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July 17, 2020
UTSA’s Open Records: Valuable Texas Assets
Office of Legal Affairs
The Texas’ Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council (RMICC) considers state records, including those at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), as valuable Texas assets. The records we manage at UTSA carry value as both citizens and government alike count on them to be accurate, reliable and...
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July 17, 2020
Liability Considerations for Higher Education in the COVID-19 Era
Office of Legal Affairs
It is well known that the coronavirus has impacted nearly every aspect of daily life over the last few months. As universities have adapted to these changes, the next step will be to plan for the resumption and reopening of at least certain onsite activities in light of the coronavirus.
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April 21, 2020
Dreaming About DACA
Office of Legal Affairs
A legislative proposal setting forth a process for granting residency status to qualifying immigrants who entered the US as minors has been under consideration by Congress...
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April 21, 2020
New Worker Protection Due to the Novel Coronavirus
Office of Legal Affairs
In response to the novel coronavirus, Congress recently passed legislation aimed at providing workers an extra layer of protection during these uncertain times
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April 21, 2020
SB18 - Campus Free Speech
Office of Legal Affairs
When Senate Bill 18 (SB18) passed during the 2019 legislative session it ushered in a new era of changes to free speech and assembly on the campuses of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Before then, The University of Texas System’s Regents’ Rules made every UT campus a limited public forum.
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April 21, 2020
It’s FERPA but …
Office of Legal Affairs
This article is the second part of a two-part series. The first article, “I Can’t Believe It’s Not FERPA,” discussed what is and what is not an Education Record subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This article will summarize all the exceptions to the general rule that the University will not disclose a FERPA-protected Education Record to a third party without the student’s consent.
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January 22, 2020
I Can't Believe It's Not FERPA!
Office of Legal Affairs
Verbal statements by a student … Not FERPA.
Observed conduct of a student … Not FERPA.
UTSA Police Department records … Not FERPA.
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January 22, 2020
Litigation Holds
Office of Legal Affairs
Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, anytime the University reasonably anticipates the filing of a lawsuit, we have a duty to preserve all evidence (hard copy or electronic), that might become relevant to the lawsuit.
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January 22, 2020
Foreign Gift and Contract Reporting
Office of Legal Affairs
Section 117 of the Higher Education Act provides that colleges and universities must file reports twice a year with the U.S. Department of Education (“DOE”)...
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January 22, 2020
Senate Bill 212: New Reporting Requirements for UTSA Employees Regarding Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Cases
Recently, the Texas Legislature passed a bill that requires university employees to report sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking cases against a student or employee to the institution’s Title IX coordinator. The penalty for non-compliance could include termination and a criminal charge against the employee.
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