Updates to safety procedures in the College of Fine Arts

Editor's Note: This page will be updated as new information is released.

Updated August 2026

The College of Fine Arts, with the university, is working to improve and refine security and safety protocols on The University of Texas at Austin campus. ​Below are some important resources that we want all students, staff and faculty to be aware of to help keep you safe on campus.

Evening Transportation Programs 

• Every member of the UT Austin community can get free rides on LYFT through the new Parking and Transportation Services program called UT Night Rides. Registered participants can request a ride from main campus to residential locations only including: homes, apartments, condos, and private dorms located in certain areas off campus, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., seven days per week. Locations served will mirror current UT Shuttles routes (West Campus, Far West, Lake Austin, North Riverside, Lakeshore, Intramural Fields) as well as mainline Route 10 serving the Red River area. To participate, download the Lyft app for your phone. The address you use to register must match the address in official university directory.
• The SURE Walk program operates 7 days a week from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. (For help, call 512-232-9255.)
• Parking and Transportation Services offers low-cost night permits for students, staff and faculty members to make it easier to park close to campus at night.
• These options complement the UT Shuttle System, which operates until 11 p.m. every day during semesters except Saturday.

Security Guard Patrol 

The College of Fine Arts continues to provide dedicated security guards from Allied Secruity to patrol all Fine Arts buildings between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., seven days a week (with the exception of University Holidays). When there is no patrol and buildings are closed, unsupervised students will not have access to the building.

Security guard officers are unarmed, dressed in informal security attire, and easily identified as Allied Security guards. Their job is to make sure only authorized students, faculty and guests are present in COFA buildings at night as they walk between Fine Arts buildings and visit key areas within each building, creating a gentle, unobtrusive presence for our students, staff and faculty.   

College of Fine Arts building access and lanyards 

In alignment with UT’s “Your ID is Your Key” campaign, students in our buildings must wear COFA-identifiable lanyards—containing their UTID and distributed free to all COFA students and faculty—when in our buildings after 10 p.m. Security guard officers will be looking for this visible ID. If you don’t have a lanyard, you should have your UT ID with you and be prepared to present it to a security guard if asked. These lanyards also provide useful emergency phone numbers. If you need a lanyard, please stop by the Dean's Administrative Suite in DFA 2.4 during business hours.