Policies & Standards

This page highlights the numerous policies and standards required when publishing online at UT.  For a full list of Information Technology Services policies, visit https://it.utexas.edu/policies.

IT Policies

Web Accessibility


All Web applications and sites at The University of Texas at Austin must meet the statutory requirements in Texas Administrative Code 206.70 Accessibility Standards (TAC 206.70), which references the U.S. Section 508 standards. These statutes require all Web applications and sites to comply with the TAC 206.70 standards. TAC 206.70 establishes only a minimum standard for accessibility; developers are encouraged to go beyond this minimum whenever possible.

Web Linking


UT Austin complies with the State Website Linking and Privacy Policy.

The purpose of The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) Web Linking Policy is to define provisions for members of the public to link to or copy information from a UT Austin website, as well as to outline UT Austin’s standards and criteria for linking to third-party websites.

Web Privacy


UT Austin is committed to ensuring the privacy and accuracy of your confidential information. UT Austin does not actively share personal information gathered from its Web servers. However, because UT Austin is a public institution, some information collected from UT Austin websites, including the summary server log information, emails sent to websites, and information collected from Web-based forms, may be subject to the Texas Public Information Act. This means that while UT Austin does not actively share information, in some cases may be compelled by law to release information gathered from its Web servers.

IT Standards

Domain Name System


This minimum standard serves as a supplement to the IT Network Operations Manual, which was drafted in response to the UT Austin Information Resources Use and Security Policy. Adherence to the standard will help ensure effective network operation.


In order for The University of Texas at Austin to possess an effective presence on the Internet, and to operate, secure, and support the network effectively, the university requires systematic and responsible use of Internet names and addresses assigned to the campus inter-networking infrastructure and to departments, programs, and functions using names affiliated with the university. The following policies are adopted throughout The University of Texas at Austin to allocate assigned names and addresses for network-connected devices.

Guidelines

Copyright

Websites are also required to include a copyright statement (e.g., © The University of Texas at Austin 20XX). Please ensure that the year is kept up-to-date.

For background, note that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), described as the most dramatic change to copyright law in a generation, was the 105th Congress's effort to update copyright law for the digital environment.

WARNING: Under the DMCA, The University of Texas at Austin reserves the right to terminate computing services of users who repeatedly infringe upon the rights of copyright owners. If you have questions about whether you may be infringing on another's copyright, please see the UT Libraries Copyright Crashcourse.

Browsers

UT Austin’s websites and Apps (except where a piece of vendor technology has other requirements) support the latest browser technology -2 iterations.

IT Governance

As we work together to restart IT governance for UT, this committee is formed to help design a long term governance approach.

The UT Austin IT Leadership Council (ITLC) develops and recommends vision and strategic plans for IT issues that have a significant impact on the teaching, research, and public service mission of the University.

graphic of ITLC organization