AUSTIN, Texas—The third annual Integrity UT Week, an initiative targeting student organizations and faculty leaders to raise awareness of the honor code and core values of The University of Texas at Austin will be held Feb. 19-22 on the university’s main campus.
The activities, which will conclude with a barbeque dinner on the Main Mall for the university community on Feb. 22, will feature speakers from campus and the Austin community and provide students opportunities to discuss academic integrity, said Stephen Myers, chairman of the Students for Academic Integrity (SFAI), which is co-sponsoring the event with the university’s Senate of College Councils.
“This event is the first attempt to work from the inside out to incorporate the ideals promoted by the honor code into the campus environment,” said Myers. He said this year’s Integrity UT Week would address the challenge of the Commission of 125 to assimilate the honor code into the campus culture.
Students for Academic Integrity, which was convened in 1986 to integrate integrity, honor and ethics in the everyday lives of students, faculty and staff, was integral in creating and implementing the university’s honor code in 2004, Myers said. In collaboration with the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment, SFAI has worked to make the honor code more visible to students by posting it on the Blackboard system login page, eGradebook and scantron test sheets.
The schedule of activities includes:
- Feb. 19—A private kick-off reception in the Texas Union Ballroom for invited student leaders, administrators and faculty members. William Powers Jr., president of the university, and Kenneth M. Jastrow II, chief executive officer of Temple-Inland and chairman of the Commission of 125, will charge campus leaders to integrate the core values reflected by the university’s honor code into their daily lives and organizational culture so they may foster core values throughout the university.
- Feb. 20—A panel discussion at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center involving about 250 invited members of the university community and guests including, Austin City Manager Toby Hammett Futrell, Austin American-Statesman sports writer Kirk Bohls and Betty Sue Flowers, director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. They will share their professional and personal experiences with the university’s core values, with the goal of inspiring ideas for action plans for organizations.
- Feb. 21—Integrity Improv, which features pizza and beverages, is free and open to the university community beginning at 6 p.m. in Welch 1.316. It is a friendly competition among student organizations and faculty members to present the most creative and appealing interpretation of a core value. The evening will include a performance by a university improvisation troupe called Gigglepants. Event judges Judy Ashcroft, dean of the Division of Continuing Education, Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly and Dr. Steven Leslie, executive vice president and provost, will present a $500 grand prize to the group that best expresses its commitment to the university’s core values in a fun, interesting and appealing way.
- Feb. 22—Free barbeque and entertainment for members of the university community will be provided on the Main Mall from 5-7 p.m. Former Dallas Mayor and Texas Secretary of State Ron Kirk will speak about the importance of integrity and winners of the Integrity Award and the improvisation competition will be announced. Live music will be performed by Texas Renegade.
For more information contact: Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847; Stephen Myers, Students for Academic Integrity, 409-771-1218.
