FEBRUARY 19, 2020 — Editor’s note: The following message was distributed to students, faculty and staff today from LT Robinson, senior vice provost for student affairs and dean of students.
Dear Roadrunners,
I’m writing to share some information regarding the new Texas law on Protected Expression on Campus and how it affects us here at UTSA. This information is especially timely given the free speech activities that took place on campus earlier this week, and the likelihood of other outside groups engaging in demonstrations on our campus in the weeks and months to come.
We have created a new FAQs page on our Expressive Activities website to provide answers to common questions regarding free speech activities at UTSA under the parameters of the new law. These FAQs will expand over time and will eventually reflect revisions to our campus policies, procedures and codes of conduct to align with the law. The revisions are currently under development in collaboration with students, faculty and staff stakeholder groups, and we will share them once approved by the UT System Board of Regents later this spring.
According to the new law, outside groups are not required to give advance notice of planned expressive activities on our campus. The ideas and opinions shared by protest groups may be difficult to hear, and we want you to think through your personal strategies for interactions. You may wish to consider practicing your own free speech and thoughtful and respectful expression of your views, creating physical space between you and the group, being aware of your reaction, leaving the area or reaching out for help by contacting us at the Dean of Students Office at dos@utsa.edu. As always, if you encounter any threatening behavior on campus, be an active bystander and report it by using the LiveSafe App, communicating with the Behavioral Intervention Team or contacting UTSA Police.
When expressive activities take place on our campus, they challenge us to balance public safety with the right to freedom of expression. Our UTSA Police are integral to protecting all participants in expressive activities. We know that some of you may be interested in more dialogue regarding the actions and responses of our police officers when interactions become confrontational. Chief Gerald Lewis is very interested in talking with members of the Roadrunner community on this topic and has set up two informal drop-in conversation sessions for later this week: Thursday, February 20 and Friday, February 21, 10-11 a.m. each day in the Student Affairs Conference Room, SU 02.02.18. If you are unable to make one of these sessions but have feedback you’d like to share, please contact Chief Lewis at chieflewis@utsa.edu.
Thank you for your understanding and willingness to work through these changes together as we adjust to the impact of this new law on our campus.
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This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
