The UT Tower

• Read more about The Main Building at UTexas.edu

Carl J. Eckhardt Jr. never won a Nobel Prize for his work with light, but he started some great University of Texas at Austin traditions. With two UT engineering degrees and a faculty post, Eckhardt became head of the Physical Plant in 1931. That positioned him to supervise construction of the campus' new landmark - the Main Building Tower. Eckhardt devised a lighting system to take advantage of its commanding architecture to announce university achievements. When he implemented the orange lighting of the UT Tower, he demonstrated one of the engineer's chief contributions to society - applying technology for human purposes.

Eckhardt's orange lights first flooded the tower in 1937. In 1947, he helped create guidelines for using the orange lights. A number "1" on all sides highlighted by orange lights signals that the university won a national championship. The full Tower glowing orange alone represents a victory over Texas A&M, Commencement and other occasions the president deems appropriate. The Tower top bathed in orange symbolizes other victories or a conference title in any intercollegiate sport.

On Feb. 2, 2001, President Larry R. Faulkner appointed a committee to recommend a revised set of Tower lighting guidelines, specifically addressing:

The committee recommended, and the president approved, the lighting configurations listed and illustrated below. A summary of the philosophy on which the committee based its recommendations also is listed.

Committee Philosophy

TOWER ENTIRELY WHITE
Standard Tower Lighting

TOWER WITH WHITE TOP AND ORANGE SHAFT
Academic and Staff Achievements

TOWER WITH ORANGE TOP AND WHITE SHAFT
Athletic Achievements

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE
Significant Athletic Victories

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE WITH #1 DISPLAYED
Athletic Championships

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE
Campus-wide Accolades

DARKENED TOWER WITH WHITE CAP AND OBSERVATION DECK
Solemn Occasions
Configuration: All other levels dark, including windows

TOWER TOP SPLIT ORANGE AND WHITE WITH ORANGE SHAFT
Symbolic Campus Events

TOWER WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS OR NUMBERING
Special Effects

The complete list of UT Tower policies can be found in On Campus published by the Office of Public Affairs for The University of Texas at Austin community. Publication is monthly during the academic year, except holiday periods.

The UT Tower

• Read more about The Main Building at UTexas.edu

Carl J. Eckhardt Jr. never won a Nobel Prize for his work with light, but he started some great University of Texas at Austin traditions. With two UT engineering degrees and a faculty post, Eckhardt became head of the Physical Plant in 1931. That positioned him to supervise construction of the campus' new landmark - the Main Building Tower. Eckhardt devised a lighting system to take advantage of its commanding architecture to announce university achievements. When he implemented the orange lighting of the UT Tower, he demonstrated one of the engineer's chief contributions to society - applying technology for human purposes.

Eckhardt's orange lights first flooded the tower in 1937. In 1947, he helped create guidelines for using the orange lights. A number "1" on all sides highlighted by orange lights signals that the university won a national championship. The full Tower glowing orange alone represents a victory over Texas A&M, Commencement and other occasions the president deems appropriate. The Tower top bathed in orange symbolizes other victories or a conference title in any intercollegiate sport.

On Feb. 2, 2001, President Larry R. Faulkner appointed a committee to recommend a revised set of Tower lighting guidelines, specifically addressing:

The committee recommended, and the president approved, the lighting configurations listed and illustrated below. A summary of the philosophy on which the committee based its recommendations also is listed.

Committee Philosophy

TOWER ENTIRELY WHITE
Standard Tower Lighting

TOWER WITH WHITE TOP AND ORANGE SHAFT
Academic and Staff Achievements

TOWER WITH ORANGE TOP AND WHITE SHAFT
Athletic Achievements

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE
Significant Athletic Victories

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE WITH #1 DISPLAYED
Athletic Championships

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE
Campus-wide Accolades

DARKENED TOWER WITH WHITE CAP AND OBSERVATION DECK
Solemn Occasions
Configuration: All other levels dark, including windows

TOWER TOP SPLIT ORANGE AND WHITE WITH ORANGE SHAFT
Symbolic Campus Events

TOWER WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS OR NUMBERING
Special Effects

The complete list of UT Tower policies can be found in On Campus published by the Office of Public Affairs for The University of Texas at Austin community. Publication is monthly during the academic year, except holiday periods.

The UT Tower

• Read more about The Main Building at UTexas.edu

Carl J. Eckhardt Jr. never won a Nobel Prize for his work with light, but he started some great University of Texas at Austin traditions. With two UT engineering degrees and a faculty post, Eckhardt became head of the Physical Plant in 1931. That positioned him to supervise construction of the campus' new landmark - the Main Building Tower. Eckhardt devised a lighting system to take advantage of its commanding architecture to announce university achievements. When he implemented the orange lighting of the UT Tower, he demonstrated one of the engineer's chief contributions to society - applying technology for human purposes.

Eckhardt's orange lights first flooded the tower in 1937. In 1947, he helped create guidelines for using the orange lights. A number "1" on all sides highlighted by orange lights signals that the university won a national championship. The full Tower glowing orange alone represents a victory over Texas A&M, Commencement and other occasions the president deems appropriate. The Tower top bathed in orange symbolizes other victories or a conference title in any intercollegiate sport.

On Feb. 2, 2001, President Larry R. Faulkner appointed a committee to recommend a revised set of Tower lighting guidelines, specifically addressing:

The committee recommended, and the president approved, the lighting configurations listed and illustrated below. A summary of the philosophy on which the committee based its recommendations also is listed.

Committee Philosophy

TOWER ENTIRELY WHITE
Standard Tower Lighting

TOWER WITH WHITE TOP AND ORANGE SHAFT
Academic and Staff Achievements

TOWER WITH ORANGE TOP AND WHITE SHAFT
Athletic Achievements

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE
Significant Athletic Victories

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE WITH #1 DISPLAYED
Athletic Championships

TOWER ENTIRELY ORANGE
Campus-wide Accolades

DARKENED TOWER WITH WHITE CAP AND OBSERVATION DECK
Solemn Occasions
Configuration: All other levels dark, including windows

TOWER TOP SPLIT ORANGE AND WHITE WITH ORANGE SHAFT
Symbolic Campus Events

TOWER WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS OR NUMBERING
Special Effects

The complete list of UT Tower policies can be found in On Campus published by the Office of Public Affairs for The University of Texas at Austin community. Publication is monthly during the academic year, except holiday periods.