Identification Badges

I. POLICY AND GENERAL STATEMENT

For reasons relating both to institutional identity and the promotion of safety for all members of the University community, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (“University”) issues identification badges to all employees, students, visitors, volunteers (including faculty with unpaid appointments), observers, contractors, temporary agency employees, residents, clinical fellows, postdoctoral research fellows and lease tenants.

All members of the University community are required to display their badges to identify themselves and their association with the University at all times while on campus or on the premises of University owned or leased space.

Identification badges include a color photograph of the individual, his or her name as indicated in the applicable University information system or on a government-issued photo identification, and, in some cases, a department name and/or school designation to indicate where that individual has a primary affiliation.  As noted below, identification badges for some individuals will also include credentials or an expiration date.  An individual who uses a nickname may have the nickname included in parentheses on his/her badge if that is the primary name he/she uses.

The University provides these badges free of charge (except to contractors) upon employment, appointment or enrollment. If a badge must be replaced, the badge holder must reimburse the University for the cost of a new badge.

Identification badges are the property of the University and will be retained by the University when an individual terminates his or her employment, ceases to be enrolled, or otherwise ends his or her association with the University.

Individuals are required to present some form of government issued photo identification, such as a U.S. driver’s license or U.S. or foreign passport, when receiving a badge.

Individuals may have more than one role at the University. However, individuals will only be issued one identification badge. A student may also be a part-time employee; in those cases, he/she will be issued a student badge. If the individual is a full time employee and a part-time student, he/she will be issued an employee badge.

II. PROCEDURE

A. ID Badge Issuance

          1. Students, Residents and Clinical Fellows

The Auxiliary Enterprises - Parking Office  is responsible for assembling appropriate information for the production of student, resident and clinical fellow identification badges. New identification badges for students, residents and clinical fellows are processed on an as-needed basis at the Auxiliary Enterprises - Parking Office located in Suite 1.070Q of University Center Tower (“UCT”).

Badges for residents and clinical fellows may only be issued upon request from the Office of Graduate Medical Education. 

          2. Employees, Volunteers, Observers, Visitors, and Postdoctoral Research Fellows

Hiring and hosting departments are responsible for providing appropriate information to Human Resources for identification badges for all employees, volunteers (including faculty with unpaid appointments) and postdoctoral research fellows. Badges for all observers and visitors (except for visiting medical students and residents) may only be issued upon request from the Office of the Executive Vice President & Chief Academic Officer.  Badges for visiting medical students may only be issued upon request of the student affairs office at the Medical School.  Badges for visiting residents may only be issued upon request from the Office of Graduate Medical Education.  ID badges will be issued to these individuals on the first day of their employment or appointment at the University.

          3. Contractors, Agency Temporary Workers, Lease Tenants and Certain Visiting Students

Departments hosting contractors or agency temporary workers who will remain on campus for a stated period of time must transmit the appropriate information to the Auxiliary Enterprises - Parking Office via an email signed with the sender’s University issued digital ID. Badges for visiting students whose school is listed as “other” in Campus Solutions as well as students at The UT Harris County Psychiatric Center may only be issued upon request of the Office of the Executive Vice President & Chief Academic Officer. The correspondence must include the individual's name, affiliation, work location, and projected duration of stay and expiration date (not to exceed one year of badge issuance). Lease tenants must submit the same information to the Auxiliary Enterprises - Parking Office via email. 

If an extension of a badge expiration date is needed, the hosting department must submit a new badge request to the Auxiliary Enterprises - Parking Office.  The badge with the new expiration date will be free of charge.   

B. Credentials

Identification badges should include a listing of the individual's licenses, earned degrees or other credentials (i.e. M.D., D.D.S., R.N., PhD, J.D., etc.) on the badge if this information is relevant to the individual’s job duties or role at the University. Departments providing this information to Human Resources or the Auxiliary Enterprises - Parking Office must take care to ensure that the credentials of these individuals do not suggest an inaccurate identification of the individual’s role within the University to other persons, particularly patients, within and outside the University community.  

Students, visitors, observers, volunteers (except for faculty with unpaid appointments), contractors, temporary agency employees, and lease tenants should not have any credentials listed on their identification badges.   

C. Security and Building Access

Individuals requiring access to certain buildings or rooms must contact their supervisors and/or operating units to obtain approved authorization and security access. All security clearance is activated and deactivated by The University of Texas Police - Houston ("UTP-H"), per instructions from the supervisor and/or operating unit.

Once an identification badge is made, the information is automatically provided to the UTP-H access system. The card will not become activated until UTP-H implements the level of security access granted by the supervisor and/or operating unit. Explanation of the security and access status of the individual must be communicated to UTP-H via memo or email by the department or school. .

For questions regarding security, contact UTP-H at [email protected].

D. Replacement of Identification Badges

Once the identification badge is issued, it is the responsibility of the badge holder to assure the badge is functioning properly. Replacement badges will be issued by Human Resources or the Auxiliary Enterprises - Parking Office, as appropriate.  A fee will be charged for any replacement badge, except for replacements of badges that are five years or older. In addition, new photos will be required for all replacement badges. Note: Persons requesting a replacement badge must be verified by the issuing office in the applicable University information system, such as PeopleSoft, the Student Information System, or the University's White Pages at the time of request. Additionally, the individual must present some form of government issued photo identification such as a U.S. driver’s license or U.S. or foreign passport. If the individual's information is not in the applicable information system, written documentation from his/her supervisor and/or student affairs director is required. No identification badge will be issued without verification of the individual’s status.

E. Identification Badges and Internal Transfers

When an employee, visitor, observer or volunteer transfers from one operating unit to another, he or she must obtain a replacement badge. In the case of the Medical School, an individual who transfers from one department to another must obtain a replacement badge. The cost of the badge is to be paid by the individual, or departments may choose to pay for the individual's replacement badge. If so, the department needs to send an email or memo identifying the account to charge. The person must bring this with him/her or the department must send it in advance. The person is responsible for obtaining agreement for the department to pay for the replacement card in advance of issuance.

F. Lost/Found Identification Badges

Report all lost or found identification badges immediately to UTP-H. Found badges may be turned in to UTP-H staff or mailed to the address on the back side of the badges .

G. Cancellation and Collection of Badges

Upon separation from the University, badge holders are required to return their badges to the University.  Responsibility for collecting badges is as follows:

Badge Holder	Responsible Collector
Student	Respective school
Employee	Department or division
Visitor, volunteer, observer, contractor, agency temporary worker	Hosting department
Resident/clinical fellow	Department of Graduate Medical Education
Postdoctoral research fellows	Respective department or division
Lease Tenant	Facilities

The responsible collector should also contact Auxiliary Enterprises and UTP-H to deactivate the returned badges. 

III. CONTACTS

• • Auxiliary Enterprises
  • 713-500-8400
  • https://www.uth.edu/auxiliary-enterprises
• • Human Resources
  • 713-500-3130
  • https://www.uth.edu/hr/

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