The University of Texas Eliminates Flag Requirements on the First Day of Registration

By Ariel Doss

Reporting Texas

Ariel Doss/Reporting Texas

The University of Texas announced Monday it will discontinue Flag courses. Citing the need for each college and major to determine which courses best serve students.

“As an advisor, you always hear rumors of certain policy changes,” Doug Haake said.”So it didn’t completely catch me by surprise.”

The announcement came on the first day of registration, disrupting some students’ plans for course selection

UT student Kayla Singer relies on her roommate to help her map out her schedule. Regardless of who is crafting her schedule,she is relieved to rid her schedule of Flag courses.

“With my current degree plan, I didn’t know exactly what classes had my flags,” Singer said. “I think it will definitely be easier not to have that added layer of stress.” 

While the change may simplify registration, some worry it could reduce expectations for course diversity. 

Haake pointed to science and engineering students as those who might miss out on important skills built in Flag courses.

“One of my first thoughts were other majors that no longer have this writing flag requirement,” Haake said. “That’s just such a universal skill that’s valuable in any kind of career field.”

Advisers and students alike have minimal information about what could be next. University leadership led by Interim Executive Vice President and Provost David Vanden Bout is  reexamining how a different program similar to course Flags could be implemented. 

“…the world has evolved significantly for our students, and careers of the future look increasingly different from those of the past,” Vanden Bout said in an email to the UT community. 

The removal of flags has been a rumored possibility prior to former president Jay Hartzel announcing his resignation. The university began reviewing the need for cultural diversity, global cultures, ethics, quantitative reasoning, independent inquiry and writing flags in November.

Students and faculty await news of next steps as current UT leadership continues what Hartzel started

“We’re just doing the best that we can with the on-time information that we have,” Haake said. “We understand things can move kind of quickly.”

For now, students will carry on with registration with no Flag courses.