Policy for Contacting Federal Officials

The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 has changed how university personnel must report interaction with Federal officials. Meetings with Congressional, Executive Branch, and/or agency officials must be reported on a quarterly basis and expenses incurred during such interactions must be reported twice a year. Click here for a summary of the rules.

The UT System Office of Federal Relations files these reports on behalf of UT Dallas but it is the responsibility of the individual to disclose the necessary information.

You need to fill out a form for:

• any expenses, payments, or contribution for costs of a meeting/event held with or in the name of a Congressional or
Executive Branch official, such as meetings in Washington or when an official visits campus
• contributions or tickets to an event honoring/recognizing a Congressional or Executive Branch official, such as a charity or community dinner
• contributions to an entity named for a Congressional or Executive Branch official, such as a library or policy conference
• contributions to an entity established/financed/maintained/controlled/designated by a Congressional or Executive Branch official, such as a third-party charity or organization.

Disclosure reports are filed on a quarterly basis. The deadlines for submitting forms to UT System Office of Federal Relations are:

• April 10
• July 10
• October 10
• January 10

The form can be submitted any time prior to the deadlines, and individuals are encouraged to submit the form soon after any interaction with a Federal official. If you interact with a Federal official and are not sure if it qualifies, please submit the form for review or contact a member of the UT System Office for Federal Relations.

Click here to disclose.