UT-Austin is attempting to conceal records related to one of its top academic officers.
On November 24, 2025, Texas Scorecard sent UT-Austin an open records request for “All emails and text messages, sent or received, from Vice Provost Richard Reddick containing the key phrase ‘Abbott’” between January 1 and November 24 of that year. On December 4, Texas Scorecard sent a second request for Reddick’s 2025 calendar up until that date.
On December 10, UT-Austin released part of the records from the first request, along with an appeal to the attorney general’s office requesting permission to withhold certain parts of the request. The university specifically stated that it objected to the release under exemptions to the public information act related to “attorney-client privilege under Texas Gov’t Code §§ 552.107” and “deliberative process privilege under Texas Gov’t Code § 552.111.”
The appeal to the attorney general is pending as of the time of this article’s publication.
On December 17, UT-Austin replied to the calendar request asking for clarification, stating that the 2025 date range was “overly broad.” Following a series of messages, on December 22 Texas Scorecard asked UT-Austin to prepare a cost estimate for Reddick’s calendar.
On January 15, 2026, UT-Austin replied that it would cost $676.50 to compile Reddick’s calendar. The university justified this request by claiming that it would take 2,255 staff minutes (at .25 per minute) to assemble this information. As a matter of perspective, that translates to 37.5 hours, nearly a week of staff time.
Reddick, who has an extensive history of promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ideology, serves on a “core curriculum review committee” that is expected to release recommendations for changes to mandatory coursework later this spring.
The Texas Exes, UT-Austin’s alumni association, recently presented Reddick with a “distinguished alumni” award during halftime at a football game last November.
As vice provost, Reddick is one of the top academic officers at UT-Austin. He reports to Provost William Inboden, who reports to President Jim Davis.
UT-Austin is a component institution of the University of Texas System. The UT System is overseen by a Board of Regents appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate. Kevin Eltife of Tyler is the current board chairman.
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