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Wednesday, May 28, 1997

University of Texas' actions questioned: Lobbying or informing?

AUSTIN (AP) - University of Texas officials might be stepping into political boundaries by lobbying against Rep. Ron Wilson's academic standards bill, the Houston representative says.

Several UT officials stood outside the Senate chamber Monday, talking to legislators about their opposition to the bill. The bill would require athletes and nonathletes at Texas' public universities to meet the same academic standards.

"I am going to request an opinion from the Ethics Commission to see if it is in fact against the law for university officials to be lobbying - in this case the Senate - on state time," said Wilson, a Democrat. "If that were any other state employee over here they would be fired the next day."

State law allows officials to supply legislators with information that is not confidential. However, they cannot use state money to help pass or defeat legislation.

Chancellor William Cunningham insists the UT officials were not lobbying but instead providing legislators with information on the bill, which has universities across the state trying to block the bill and protect the Big 12 from what some say will be a fatal blow.

"We're not asking someone to vote one way or another for a bill," Cunningham said. "When a senator asks us for information, we are obligated to provide it. We know what the rules are and we never violate them."

Wilson's bill has already passed the House and could be taken up by the Senate Tuesday.

"I am concerned that there have been numerous individuals, alumni of the universities contacting senators - by region - concerning this particular bill," the Senate sponsor of the bill, Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, said.

Cunningham, however, says speaking out against the bill to legislators does not constitute lobbying.

"The distinction is that we never ask anyone for their votes," he said. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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