Dear Comets:
We look forward to resuming in-person campus instruction and activities on Monday, Feb. 7, as previously announced.
Classes will be taught as shown in CourseBook. This means that a class or laboratory listed as traditional, in-person will meet at its scheduled time and location, as will the in-person component of a hybrid class.
All University housing is currently open. Students may return to their fall 2021 assigned room at any time prior to Feb. 7. All new spring 2022 residents who have not yet received a move-in date should contact University Housing at 972-883-7430 or housing@utdallas.edu.
Staff and faculty will return to the work plans that were in effect before the winter break, as determined by their supervisors. We continue to emphasize the need for our employees to consider their own health factors and make appropriate work arrangements. Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible in permitting remote work and granting time off to care for self or others due to COVID-19.
We know that many are eager to return to in-person activities, events and meetings, while others are understandably anxious about returning to campus. Please know that the University is continually monitoring the COVID-19 information for our region. As a reminder, the latest information and guidelines, as well as resources for supporting our community, can be found on our COVID-19 website.
Modeling for the North Texas region shows that we should expect a steep decline in the number of new and active COVID-19 cases in the coming days and weeks. However, the omicron variant remains highly infectious and we cannot let down our guard.
The steps we have taken over the last two years have been effective in reducing the impact of the virus on our campus. We are following recommended public health measures and making adjustments as needed.
Here are the current public health guidelines for the UT Dallas community:
Daily Health Check
The Daily Health Check remains our single best tool to assess the risks to and health of our campus. All students, faculty and staff are required to continue reporting on a daily basis.
Vaccines
Thank you to all who have been vaccinated. Vaccines are essential to slow the pandemic and provide a measure of normalcy in our campus activities. Students may log in to the Health Center portal to make an appointment for the vaccine or booster. Faculty and staff can find locations offering vaccines at vaccines.gov. Please report vaccination status through the Voluntary Vaccine Reporting Form, as well as booster status through the Voluntary COVID-19 Booster Reporting Form. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a booster for everyone ages 12 and older.
Masking
Face coverings are effective in preventing the spread of the virus to others, so, in keeping with CDC guidelines, we encourage everyone to wear them indoors. Where possible, please use surgical-grade masks as recommended by public health experts. Free three-ply surgical masks are available across campus.
Testing
With the high transmission rates that are being reported in North Texas, getting tested after an exposure or when you are not feeling well is more important than ever to help limit the spread of the virus.
At-home tests are good to have on hand. Four free at-home test kits are available to every household in the U.S. through the federal website covidtests.gov. In addition, faculty and staff enrolled in UT SELECT and UT CONNECT prescription drug programs are eligible for over-the-counter test kits at no-cost through an in-network pharmacy. For more information, visit the UT System website. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of these services.
Anyone testing positive for COVID-19, who is exhibiting associated symptoms, or has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, is asked to complete the self-reporting form (English and Spanish).
On-campus testing will continue to be scheduled by our COVID-19 response team for those who are symptomatic and for close contacts of positive cases.
In addition to these guidelines, the following measures are in place to enhance the campus public health environment:
Enhanced Cleaning
Classrooms and public spaces are regularly sanitized and cleaned. All horizontal surfaces and common touch points — desks, tables, handrails, elevator buttons, door handles and doorknobs, etc. — are cleaned at least daily with an approved sanitizer that kills viruses. Restrooms and break areas are checked and cleaned two to three times per day, depending on building occupancy. In addition, our custodial team responds to any area with a reported COVID-19 case and will reclean the affected area as soon as possible after receipt of the report. All classrooms are stocked with a bucket of sanitizing wipes. Three-ply surgical style masks are also stocked in classrooms for faculty, staff and students to use as needed.
Upgraded Air Filtering
All classrooms and teaching labs on campus, with the exception of eight spaces, are being filtered by a MERV-13 or higher-rated air filter. MERV-13 is the standard set by the Department of Education as the prescribed means to minimize the airborne transmission of the coronavirus. The eight classrooms — all in the Research and Operations Center, and in Synergy Park North and SPN2 — that are not covered by MERV-13 filtration are equipped with portable HEPA air filters to enhance air quality in those spaces.
Classroom Seating Charts
With the resumption of in-person classes, all faculty will be asked to circulate and collect a seating chart for each class session. Completed seating charts will greatly enhance our ability to prioritize contact tracing in the event we identify a positive case in a class. Seating charts for every classroom on campus are available to faculty through the Office of the Registrar.
The pandemic has been a challenge, and we know that some members of our community have experienced difficult losses and obstacles. We all have a personal responsibility as Comets United to be thoughtful in our interactions and vigilant in our practices.
Thank you for all you are doing to care for yourselves and one another.
Sincerely,
Dr. Richard C. Benson
President
Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership