Student Affairs & Special Projects

INVESTIGATIONS
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.2 billion. Through a statewide network of eleven universities and seven state agencies, the A&M System educates more than 148,000 students and employs more than 26,000 people. The A&M System has a physical presence in 250 of the state’s 254 counties and a programmatic presence in every county. System-wide, externally funded research expenditures exceeded $946 million to help drive the state’s economy. System members currently have over $2.7 billion in construction projects underway to expand the facilities and services available to students, faculty, and staff. The A&M System is a diverse and complex entity that presents a range of opportunities and challenges on a day-to-day basis. It is these challenges that are the focus of the investigations function of the Special Projects practice area.

The A&M System members aspire to conduct their activities in a diligent, safe, lawful, and ethical manner. When they may have fallen short of these standards the Office of General Counsel (OGC) is often called upon to investigate the matter, report to management and governmental agencies, and suggest corrective action. This office has participated in investigations involving student and employee deaths, large-scale property losses, civil rights violations, biological safety and radiation exposure incidents, and allegations of unethical conduct.

CONSTITUTIONAL & FEDERAL LAW
“At the outset we note that state colleges and universities are not enclaves immune from the sweep of the First Amendment.” Healy v. James, 408 U.S. 169, 180 (1972) Accord Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School Dist., 393 U.S. 503, 506 (1969) (“It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”)

INITIATIVES & PROJECTS
State and federal legislative matters fall within this practice area.

TRAINING
Through TrainTraq, the System presents on-line training on Creating a Discrimination-Free Workplace; Ethics; Information Security Awareness; Orientation to the A&M System; and Reporting Fraud, Waste and Abuse. To supplement this mandatory and recurring system-wide training, OGC has a library of existing training modules available for presentation by experienced attorneys. Additionally, OGC can design a custom presentation for a subject matter of specific interest to your institution or agency.