To hear and be heard Student voices
Whether you want to be heard or you want to hear what others have to say, the University of Texas at Austin offers a variety of outlets that make communicating information and ideas easier.
Student Publications and Media
Student publications and media at UT Austin offer a variety of formats for communicating with the university community. Texas Student Media publishes The Daily Texan student newspaper five days a week. The Texan has won more national awards than any other student newspaper and is among the nation's leading college newspapers.
Texas Student Media also produces the Cactus yearbook for the university, the Official Directory, and Texas Travesty humor magazine. The Official Directory is distributed without charge at several locations on campus.
TSM also operates KVRX student radio and TSTV (Texas Student TV), the only student-operated television station in the country. The Cactus, KVR, and TSTV have won top national student media honors in recent years.
Student Government
Students who want their voices heard often become involved in Student Government. Although every enrolled student is a member of Student Government, official actions are carried out by the executive branch, the Student Assembly, and the judicial branch.
Student Government Responsibilities
- Providing input to and developing initiatives for the university administration, the city council, and the state legislature on such matters as minority recruitment and retention, curriculum reform, tuition increases, teacher evaluations, class availability, and the quality of undergraduate education.
- Appointing students to the Faculty Council, the Texas Union Board of Directors, and the Student Services Fee Committee.
- Nominating students to the standing committees of the General Faculty.
- Establishing services and programs to meet student needs, such as University Health Services, the summer orientation program, the shuttle bus system, a walking escort service, a multicultural information center, childcare services, student cable television, and student radio.
Any student may join a committee and work on projects, which cover a wide range of issues. Elections for president, vice president, and members of the Student Assembly are held each spring.
The West Mall
Find out what’s happening on the West Mall this week!
No it isn’t a place to shop, unless you’re shopping for ideas or opportunities. The West Mall is actually an area of campus near the Main Building and the Flawn Academic Center.
Around noon on busy days the West Mall teems with displays, information sharing, and rallies. Swarms of students extol the virtues of their causes, display their cultural talents through music and dance, and hand out flyers and information about volunteer activities.
During the spring, the West Mall becomes the place for politics as Student Government candidates share their platforms and ask for votes.
The West Mall can become the spot for heated debates as competing ideas meet. Sometimes students set up displays about issues that make a difference to people around the globe. You may see a student dressed as a human heart walking around asking for support for the American Heart Association or others dressed as houses asking for support for Habitat for Humanity.
Updated 18 July 2008
Top | Next: Greek Life »
