Coronavirus Updates and FAQs
The latest information on ELP operations, social distancing and preventative measures
We know that many of you in the ELP community, as well as our friends and family, continue to have questions about COVID-19. In the last few weeks our ELP faculty and staff have been hard at work preparing for a shift to hybrid instruction, remote learning, and tele-working.
Please know that the ELP community—your adviser, professors, administrators, and peers—are here to support you the students in this challenging time. We are here for you and are committed to doing all we can to ensure the best outcomes for you as we work to complete this term and prepare for what’s ahead.
Please continue to monitor UT Austin's Protect Texas Together website, which provides a framework for the fall designed to accommodate the dynamic environment we are facing and enable us to adapt to changes in the prevalence of COVID-19 in Austin and throughout Texas. The university’s leaders are aware that things are changing every day.
Please see below for the resources, institutional changes, and updates that are available to students as we deal with this ongoing public health crisis.
FAQs
For additional updates and announcements for graduate students, please visit the Graduate School website for FAQs and new information.
CARES ACT
The University of Texas at Austin has received funds under the CARES Act and is working to provide emergency assistance to as many students as possible to help them meet their emergency financial needs during this challenging time.
You can learn more about CARES and apply for funding by visiting the following link: https://onestop.utexas.edu/cares-act-faq/.
Please direct your questions to Texas One Stop by emailing them at onestop@utexas.edu
Information Technology Services – Multi-Factor Authentication
In an effort to increase security, multi-factor authentication (Duo) will be required to access most online services that require a UT EID login by June 15. Canvas and Zoom will begin requiring Duo on May 26. All other services, including MyUT, will require Duo starting June 15.
Multi-factor authentication provides an additional level of security when using university online services. Since the start of COVID-19 (coronavirus), phishing attacks and scams have seen a major increase and students are particularly vulnerable. In 2018, student compromised accounts rose 51% in one year and the Information Security Office (ISO) predicts this trend will only go up.
Actions required
If you have already been using Duo for multi-factor authentication for activities like accessing Workday for human resources or Office 365, be prepared to use Duo with more services. It is also recommended that you determine which back-up option you will use if needed.
If you have not used Duo before, please select how you would like to interact with Duo and be sure to also select a back-up option. Visit the ITS web page on getting started with Duo.
Students can register their device for Duo at: http://bit.ly/utduo
If anyone has issues with Duo they can call the College of Education ITS service desk at 512-475-9400.
It is important to set up Duo before you need it or you may experience delays in accessing a service.
Options include:
- Via the Duo Smartphone app
- SMS text message
- Phone call to a mobile number
- Phone call to a land line
- Touch ID
- Security Key such as YubiKey
- Visit the IT@UT website for more information including FAQs on low cost and zero costs options, options that don’t require wifi, and what to do if you forget or lose your device.
Watch this Duo Help Video from ITS for info on how to get started with Duo.
How to get help
Visit the IT@UT website for more information, FAQs, and help articles on how to get started with Duo multi-factor authentication.
If you find yourself without access to your primary or back-up options for Duo, contact the UT Service Desk.
Why is this happening?
Cyber-security attacks are on the rise, with 20% more university accounts compromised in 2019 as compared to 2018. Additionally, student and guest compromised accounts have risen 51% since 2018, with about 80% of all security breaches involving a compromised username or password. Forecasting from the university’s Information Security Office (ISO) predicts this growth will only continue without intervention. These attacks have increased since the start of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Multi-factor authentication makes a difference in reducing compromised accounts.
Thank you for doing your part to help protect yourself and university data from bad actors who would compromise our user accounts, data, and systems.
Resources
The College and University have made many resources available to students. Here’s a curated list:
Learning from Home: As you study and learn from home, there are services available to assist you, including Keep Learning.
Technology Support for Remote Learning:
The Dean of Students office is available to assist if you need support with key resources, and if you do not have access to personal computers and internet connections. An emergency fund application is available through the Student Emergency Services office. Please complete it and the university will work to help you.
Zoom:
UT will be implementing the highest level of access security. This will require users who join classes or meetings to be authenticated through the UT Austin Zoom system and use a Zoom application.
Steps You Need to Take
This is important. Students need to take two fairly simple steps to ensure seamless access to high security Zoom.
If you haven’t already, you must claim your UT Zoom account by going to utexas.zoom.us and registering by clicking on Sign In. You will not be able to directly join a class or meeting until you have done so. Using any other Zoom account, including Zoom’s free account, will not work.
Download and register the Zoom app on your devices (including computers). This is necessary so that Zoom’s application can validate you as part of the UT community every time you access a class or meeting. The Zoom app is available in the Apple App Store and in the Google Play store for Android. The desktop app can be downloaded at utexas.zoom.us. Click Download Client, and then download Zoom Client for Meetings.
That’s all you have to do, but these steps must be taken before you join a class or meeting. Otherwise, you will be delayed joining class while you download the app, or you will be placed in the Zoom Waiting Room where you will have to wait for your instructor to manually admit you.
Technical support is available to help any student who needs it. Contact the ITS Service Desk at 512-475-9400 or email zoom@utexas.edu.
Zoom Sign In: How to Avoid the Waiting Room (Video)
Join a Zoom Meeting
Screen Sharing in Zoom
Proctorio:
Adobe Spark:
Digital Access to Libraries:
UT Libraries are making many of their collections available online so that students can access the materials they need to continue their research work. Please visit their website to review their extensive online resources, including access to their digital collections.
Additionally, libraries and information providers have collaborated to temporarily provide expanded access to many additional online resources. Graduate students can now access the 17 million volumes in the Hathi Trust digital library. A list of Hathi Trust volumes is available on their website.
Graduate students can learn about other textbooks, ebooks, streaming media, databases and resources that have been recently opened on the UT Libraries website.
June 1, 2020 Updated - Digital Access to Libraries Information
Beginning June 15, 2020, access to many UT Libraries’ resources and services will require two-factor authentication using Duo per a directive from campus IT. When accessing many of UT Libraries resources and services, you will first be prompted for your EID and will then be prompted to authenticate with Duo. Impacted services and resources include:
· Access to articles, databases, ejournals, ebooks and other electronic resources - depending on the path you take to access these through the Libraries web site, you may be prompted to use DUO on as well as off campus
· On and off-campus access to your library account
· Placing an Interlibrary Loan request and Get a Scan request from off campus
· Placing a Pick it Up request from on or off campus
· Reserving a group study room from on or off campus
· Adding print funds from on or off campus
· Requesting captioning from on or off campus
Many of you already have Duo – it is required for Canvas, claiming W2s, accessing financial aid and reporting work time, for example.
If you do not have Duo, it is available for free to current students, faculty and staff. You can set it up yourself or contact the ITS service desk for assistance via email or phone.
Duo requires an upgraded EID. Information on upgrading EIDs can be found here.
For more information about this change, please see our guide
Digital Access to Copyrighted Content
The HathiTrust has opened copyrighted content to participating libraries. UT Libraries now has online access to copyrighted books that the university owns in print. This provides access to about 45% of the UT Libraries print materials, which will hopefully give you some flexibility while the Libraries are closed. The process to “check out” a book from HathiTrust is confusing, so UT Librarian Gina Bastone made this tutorial to help with the process: https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/englishlit/hathitrusttemp
Please keep in mind these restrictions:
- The HathiTrust requires an additional login (even if you are already logged in to other library resources), and asks you to verify your institutional affiliation with UT Austin from a drop-down menu. (See the tutorial for screenshots and instructions.)
- All copyrighted books will be limited to one UT Austin user at a time. The HathiTrust has developed an online checkout system, and when you are done with an ebook, you will see a prompt to “return” it so other UT Austin folks can access it. This is especially important if you are using HathiTrust ebooks as course texts. (See the tutorial for additional instructions.)
- This access is temporary. We will only have it as long as our physical libraries are closed.
Related, many scholarly publishers have opened their content temporarily for the pandemic. UT Librarians colleagues put together this wonderful guide covering most of what is available to us: https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/tempopen/home Dates of access and other important information is noted.
Additionally, libraries and information providers have collaborated to temporarily provide expanded access to many additional online resources. Graduate students can now access the 17 million volumes in the Hathi Trust digital library. A list of Hathi Trust volumes is available on their website.
Graduate students can learn about other textbooks, ebooks, streaming media, databases and resources that have been recently opened on the UT Libraries website.
Mental Health & Student Emergency Services: The CMHC has resources available and are utilizing telecounseling as an approach to support students. If you or a peer are experiencing stress and/or trauma, please visit their website here: https://cmhc.utexas.edu/ . It is important to realize that being knowledgeable of these resources will not only be beneficial for you, but also for friends and colleagues who may be under duress.
Please communicate directly to your faculty, your adviser, and departmental leadership if you are experiencing difficulty during this stressful time. While we have taken the approach to limit communication and cluttering your inboxes, we also realize it’s important that you know we are here to assist you however we can.
For remote mental health services, students can reach out to the Counseling and Mental Health Center, and staff and faculty members can get support through the Employee Assistance Program. Additionally, if you are a student who needs assistance with food or housing, or you don’t have access to a personal computer or internet connection, please complete the Student Emergency Services form and the university will work to help you.
Therapy Groups: College students often face overwhelming emotions, difficult relationships and adjustments, and academic problems for which a group may be the best support option – often being more beneficial than one-on-one counseling. Groups offer a unique setting in which peer interactions facilitate self-improvement and the alleviation of suffering.
CMHC offers therapy groups, therapeutic classes, and skill-building workshops that address a range of student needs. Some students are initially hesitant to participate in a group, but those who join consistently find them to be a beneficial and positive experience.
Groups are now meeting online via zoom:
https://cmhc.utexas.edu/groups.html
Family Obligations Support – Updated July 7, 2020:
Please be aware that CMHC has a weekly group that meets to discuss/support students who have children or are otherwise counted on to support family members during this period of COVID. The group happens to be led by our Jackson School CARE counselor from CMHC.
In a recent survey of our students, childcare and family issues were the #1 concern of students and how to balance those demands with research, teaching, schoolwork, etc.
If you have these kinds of family obligations, encourage them to check out https://cmhc.utexas.edu/groups.html#schedule
Health:
As the virus continues to affect communities across the country, there is much you can do to monitor your health and protect others during this time. If you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19, it’s important for you to be screened for testing. Students can call the UHS Nurse Advice Line at 512-475-6877.
Others can call UT Health Austin at 833-882-2737; call your physician, who can register you to be tested with Austin Public Health; call CommUnityCare at 512-978-8775; or access telehealth services (via Austin Public Health). If you are not in the Austin area, we encourage you to reach out to your personal physician and local health care providers for support.
University Health Services (UHS) is still open to provide care for acute illness or injury. Call the UHS Nurse Advice Line — 512-475-6877 — for guidance about when to come to UHS, especially if you have a fever and respiratory symptoms. UHS can also schedule telehealth appointments at 512-471-4955 for some health concerns.
Above all, it’s critical that we take care of ourselves and one another. That includes adhering to Austin Public Health and City of Austin orders to stay home except for essential needs and continuing to be vigilant about hand-washing, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, and practicing social distancing. Further, stay aware of travel guidelines, including the need to quarantine when traveling from a COVID-19 hot spot.
For additional information related to COVID-19, including messages in multiple languages, visit Austin Public Health.
Health – Updated Information on June 3, 2020
COVID-19 Testing and Screening
In addition to continuing to test members of our community who are symptomatic of COVID-19, we are developing a plan to test asymptomatic individuals on a voluntary basis. Such asymptomatic testing can help us further reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus while creating a more complete picture of the presence and impact of the disease. We plan to build on-campus capabilities to conduct asymptomatic testing consistent with epidemiological recommendations.
We are also reviewing options and policies for screening members of the UT community who enter buildings on campus for symptoms and will provide more information as we finalize our approach.
Testing for Active or Recent Infection - Updated Information on June 11, 2020
If you have any new or worsening symptoms that could be COVID-19 OR if you do not have symptoms but have had close contact (defined as within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, drive-thru testing is available through UT Health Austin and other sites including Austin Public Health. UHS offers this test to students through their designated respiratory clinic at the Student Services Building. Currently, tests are collected as a nasopharyngeal swab, and results are usually available within 48 hours.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may include mild presentations of fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of sense of smell or taste, diarrhea, muscle pain, headache or chills.
Antibody Testing for Past Infection
Antibody testing can identify if someone has been infected with COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to testing. There are many limitations to these antibody tests. Thus, we require a counseling tele-visit in advance of the test to ensure informed decision making, to determine if this test is appropriate, and to explain the meaning of varying results. Antibody tests require a blood draw at the UT Health Austin WorkLife walk-in clinic or at UHS (for students).
It is unclear at this time if the presence of antibodies makes an individual immune to subsequent infection.
To request testing or to learn more:
- Call the UHS Nurse Advice Line at 512-475-6877 (UT students only).
- Call UT Health Austin at 833-UT-CARES (833-882-2737).
Don’t Delay ER Care
Importantly, please don’t delay or avoid lifesaving emergency care. Avoiding emergency rooms out of fear of COVID-19 can have dire consequences during emergencies requiring time-sensitive treatment. Emergency rooms and clinics are among the safest places to receive care that cannot wait.
Now more than ever, please continue to practice social distancing, wear masks/face coverings, stay home if you are symptomatic or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, and get tested when appropriate.
Campus Health Services
There are numerous healthcare options on campus that continue to serve students during the campus closure:
- University Health Services provides care for most health concerns through telemedicine, including evaluation of COVID-19. In-person appointments for acute illness or injury are scheduled after an initial telemedicine consultation in which the provider determines an in-person visit is necessary in order to provide treatment or care.
- Forty Acres Pharmacy offers speed and convenience in fulfilling most prescription needs for UT students.
- MD Live virtual visits provide a live consultation between you and a doctor for many non-emergency and behavioral health needs
- UT Health Austin focuses the expertise of a team of experienced medical professionals to deliver personalized, whole person care.
- Wellness Center at the School of Nursing staffs two clinics, a Children’s Wellness Clinic and a Family Wellness Clinic, where nurse practitioners provide primary care and manage acute and chronic conditions.
Health Insurance:
Many graduate students are concerned about having access to health insurance this summer. There are two health insurance plans available to graduate students depending on whether they are academic employees.
Graduate students employed as AIs, TAs and GRAs for 20 hours or more a week for at least 4.5 months are eligible to participate in the university's employee insurance plans. Please see Human Resource’s student employee insurance and benefits website for more information.
All currently enrolled students are eligible for health insurance through the AcademicBlue health plan provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. Please visit the plan’s website for information on benefits, costs and enrollment periods.
The Graduate School will again assist graduate students currently employed as TAs or AIs this spring who have Graduate School fellowships starting in the fall semester. Specifically, the Graduate School will provide a payment equivalent to that needed for a student without coverage to purchase AcademicBlue for the summer.
May 10, 2020 Updated Health Insurance Information
If you need health insurance, UT offers an affordable, high-quality healthcare plan for graduate students. AcademicBlue, administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, is designed and priced for students.
Coverage & Cost
With AcademicBlue, you have access to a broad national network of doctors and pharmacies. Premiums are often less than comparable plans, and most campus health services are covered 100 percent with no out-of-pocket costs. Visits to network primary care doctors are covered at 100 percent after a $20 copayment, and visits to specialists are covered at 100 percent after a $40 copayment. Please refer to the benefits summary for additional coverage information and the cost webpage for additional information about plan premiums.
Coordination with AcademicBlue & UT Select
If you are a graduate student fellow with a fellowship worth at least $10,000, you have the option to mix and match enrollment in AcademicBlue and UT Select to save costs. You may choose to enroll in the AcademicBlue medical insurance plan, and also enroll in the UT Select vision and/or dental plans. By doing so, you may be able to significantly reduce your out of pocket costs, and still have access to an exceptional level of care.
Enrolling in AcademicBlue
Graduate students currently enrolled in UT Select or AcademicBlue may enroll in AcademicBlue for the summer months. These students do not have to register for summer classes to access AcademicBlue. However, graduate students who are not currently enrolled in UT Select or AcademicBlue must register for at least two credit hours during the summer semester to enroll in AcademicBlue.
Graduate students who register in absentia during the summer may enroll in AcademicBlue if they were enrolled in UT Select or AcademicBlue during the spring semester. (Please review our FAQs for eligibility criteria for registering in absentia this summer.)
Please note that the deadline to enroll in AcademicBlue for summer semester is June 15, 2020. Please review the benefits summary and AcademicBlue enrollment webpage for more information about eligibility and enrollment.
For answers to additional questions about AcademicBlue, please refer to the AcademicBlue website, or click the Do You Need Help button on the webpage for additional assistance.
Access to Food
Student Emergency Services in the Office of the Dean of Students has launched UT Outpost to support students on our campus.
Hunger and food insecurity on our campus is real. Between 2015-16 and 2016-17, Student Emergency Services saw a 28% increase in the number of students helped with food-related needs. We know food insecurity makes it hard for students to stay in class and succeed, and our goal is to help students understand and identify food insecurity, as well as making nutritious food readily available to students when they need it.
Along with our food pantry, our team has launched a career closet to make sure every Longhorn has access to professional clothes for job and internship interviews. Emergencies and financial hardships can interfere with student success beyond the classroom, and this program serves as an additional resource for students.
For information about obtaining such resources please visit:
https://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/emergency/utoutpost.php
The Writing Center
is open for online consultations. If you've never had a one-on-one appointment before, now may be a great time to use this service from the convenience of your own home. Consultants can work with you on any piece of writing at any stage of development.
All consultations will proceed as they did before: 45 minutes long with a trained graduate student consultant. Now, of course, the meeting will be held online, where you can talk with a consultant and share your work.
For more information about online appointments, visit our website at http://uwc.utexas.edu/appointments-new/
or email us at uwcgradservices@utexas.edu
To book an appointment, click here.
Writing Retreats
Following the state stay at home orders, we have cancelled the April writing retreat and will likely cancel the May retreat as well.
However, in an effort to provide the feeling of community and support that the retreats create, we want to offer some form of a retreat online and are currently working on ways to offer a new digital forum for group writing.
Please stay tuned for updates about online retreats!
The Graduate School
Summer 2020 Graduation Deadline – Updated Information July 24, 2020
If you plan to graduate this summer, you must successfully submit your application to graduate prior to 5 p.m. on July 31, 2020. If you encounter problems submitting the application, contact your graduate coordinator. Please submit your application as soon as possible in order to resolve any problems and to ensure your application can be successfully completed.
To learn more about graduation requirements and access to the graduation application, visit the graduation deadlines and instructions page on the Graduate School website.
If you submit an application to graduate but do not meet degree requirements, there is no penalty. Simply submit a new graduation application prior to the deadline during the semester that you intend to graduate.
In response to the university’s social distancing policy for COVID-19, the Graduate School will not be open for student walk-ins until further notice.
Instead, the Graduate School is accepting all forms digitally/online, including request for final oral examination forms (*ELP has been doing these primarily via DocuSign already.)
Dissertation/treatise proposal committee meetings as well as dissertation/treatise final defense meetings will now be conducted remotely (i.e. via Zoom) only.
Email Forms to the Graduate School:
Please email all materials to: GradStudentSvcs@austin.utexas.edu.
Include your name and UT EID in all correspondence.
All forms must be submitted in PDF format only.
Please ensure forms contain all the required signatures before emailing, as this may delay processing.
During peak periods, it may take up to seven days for our staff to reply. Please do not send your email more than once. You will receive a confirmation when your form is accepted.
Graduating Students:
ELP Doctoral Candidates Impacted by Covid-19
Per the Graduate School, graduate students who were on track to graduate in May but whose progress was delayed by COVID-19 may petition to register in absentia during the summer 2020 semester. This means that students will have until August 14, 2020 at 3pm to submit final materials without having to pay summer tuition.
Please note that in order to register in absentia for summer, students MUST apply to graduate during the spring semester and submit their programs of work before April 24. Students registered in absentia will be able to graduate in the summer 2020 semester if they submit all graduation materials to the Graduate School before 3 p.m. on August 14. Please note that these deadlines have been updated from the previous in absentia policy.
Please be aware (per email below) of the following restrictions if you do register in absentia.
- Your student IDs will be inactive, which may impact building access should campus reopen.
- You will not be eligible for AI, TA or GRA employment. (These positions require enrollment and most, of course, come with tuition.)
- You will not have access to UT libraries that require an ID.
- International students will have to apply for OPT in the last semester they are enrolled (i.e. spring 2020, not summer 2020)
To petition to be registered in absentia in the summer 2020 semester, please submit your petition application by Friday, April 24 at 5:00pm.
Required Documents:
Petition application packet must include:
- Petition form (use attached in absentia application form)
- Acknowledgement of dissertation/treatise chair (an email is sufficient)
- Chapters of the written dissertation/treatise that have been completed thus far (required by Graduate School).
The completed application should be a single PDF document emailed to Andrea Kehoe at Andrea.Kehoe@austin.utexas.edu.
For any questions that you may have, please contact Andrea Kehoe, ELP Director of Student Affairs, at Andrea.Kehoe@austin.utexas.edu
To report your dissertation, please follow the instructions detailed on the Graduate School website:
https://gradschool.utexas.edu/academics/graduation/deadlines-and-submission-instructions.
Upload the formatted dissertation BEFORE you email the forms, listed below, to GradStudentSvcs@austin.utexas.edu.
- Include your UT EID and Full Name on all communication with the Graduate School
- Collapse forms into Single PDF
Forms include:
- The Report of Dissertation Committee form*
- A Statement on Research with Human Participants form; and
- Any requests to Delay Publication, if applicable
*The Graduate School will email you “The Report of Dissertation Committee” form a few days before the defense. Post-defense, let ELP Director of Student Affairs know if you need help seeking signatures on this form via Docusign, a digital workflow platform.
Only submit required pages Final reports, theses and dissertations MUST be uploaded to the Texas Digital Library before before your final paperwork and pages will be reviewed. After submission, no revisions or corrections will be allowed except for those required by the dean of the Graduate School.
Electronic signatures continue to be approved for use on all Graduate School forms such as the Request for Final Oral, Master’s Committee Approval and Report of Dissertation Committee. Digital signatures or scanned signatures are also allowed.
Please make every attempt to ensure that your report/thesis/dissertation complies with university format guidelines.
Please continue checking the Graduate School website for updates.
Accepted Forms Via Email:
Doctoral –
Request for Final Oral Examination
Current conditions will require greater flexibility in accommodating Ph.D. students’ final defenses. The Graduate School does not distinguish between physical attendance or electronic/virtual attendance. Given the university’s current policy on meetings of two or more individuals, final defenses should be conducted remotely if at all possible.
Doctoral students and their committees should consult in advance to identify an acceptable format. This may include individual communication between student and committee member, rather than the conventional single defense presentation to the entire committee.
Regardless of the format of the final defense, the Graduate School will consider a student to have passed when committee members have indicated their approval by signing the Report of Dissertation Committee. This verifies that committee members have read and reviewed the final dissertation to determine that it is an independent investigation and constitutes an original contribution to knowledge.
Request for Change in Doctoral Committee
Final Submission Required Pages
Masters (thesis/report options only) –
Petition for Change in Master’s Supervising Committee
PDF Graduation Applications (dual degree students only)
Petition to Extend the Six-Year Limit on Coursework
Final Submission Required Pages
All Students -
Authorization for Leave of Absence
Portfolio Completion Reporting Form
Request for University Extension Credit
Petition to Transfer a Graduate Course from Another Institution
Students who miss deadlines because of self-isolation or health-related issues should email our staff at GradStudentSvcs@austin.utexas.edu to request accommodation.
Online Resources – Updated May 13, 2020
In support of the transition to online classes, the FIC has developed extensive online materials that you might find helpful, including:
- Instructional Continuity Guide – A step-by-step guide for instructors to transition courses for remote delivery. Developed in collaboration with campus partners, it features support around instructional activities, student engagement, assessments and more.
- Resources for Graduate Student Instructors – A resource for teaching assistants that provides guidance on coordinating with faculty members, conducting virtual office hours, facilitating discussions and communicating with students.
- Remote Teaching Series – A series of videos led by Provost’s Teaching Fellows and helpful one-pagers for teaching online, such as Building Community in Online Classrooms.
- Deeper Dive Instructional Guides – Collections of information, resources, research and models of best practices related to important teaching and learning topics such as inclusive teaching and learning, creating online courses and more.
Graduate Student Programs & Services- Updated May 13, 2020
The FIC offers a variety of programs and services to help graduate students develop teaching skills, including:
- Teaching Preparation Series – Sessions for graduate students to learn about, observe, practice, receive feedback and reflect upon teaching techniques. Participating students have the opportunity to earn teaching preparation certificates.
- GRS 097: Fundamental for TAs – A semester-long, zero-credit hour, professional development seminar aimed to support first-time Teaching Assistants (TAs) in their instructional duties.
- Individual Consultations – Individual sessions for graduate students to receive feedback and guidance on teaching statements and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statements.
Graduating Student Pursuing Academic/ Professional Careers Resources- Updated May 20, 2020
Due to COVID-19 and its impact on the economy, many of you will face a drastically different job market when you graduate. It is more important than ever that you are aware of the many career resources and professional development services available to you, whether you are pursuing academic or professional careers.
The Graduate School has partnered with Texas Career Engagement (TCE) to provide resources to assist graduate students. In this week’s email, we would like to highlight some of the resources available through TCE that you might find helpful.
Individualized Career Advising- Updated May 20, 2020
TCE offers individualized career advising with expert advisors who work on a wide-range of career-related topics, accounting for the unique challenges and opportunities graduate students are considering when thinking about their future. Advising sessions range from self-assessment, decision-making and planning to specific advice on resume, CV and cover letter preparation for the job search.
Department Requests - Updated May 20, 2020
TCE is happy to work with your department or student organization to develop more discipline-specific, tailored career workshops relevant to you and your colleagues. Please email Annie Maxfield, director of graduate career and professional development with any questions.
Research-related Resources
Office of Sponsored Projects COVID-19 FAQs
Institutional Review Board COVID-19 FAQs
Research Restart – Update Information May 21, 2020
Occupancy Limits/Workforce Numbers– Update Information May 21, 2020
During each Research Phase, there will be limits on the number of occupants in research spaces and in COE buildings. The purpose of occupancy limits is to assure that proper social distancing is maintained in all rooms and throughout all buildings, and so that custodial staff are able to appropriately clean/sanitize common areas. These limits may be relaxed as UTs capacity for testing increases, and as the number of COVID-19 cases in the community decreases.
During Phase 3, 30%-40% (Our Current Phase) of a researcher’s personnel (i.e., graduate students and other researchers) can resume on-campus activities. However, there are also social distancing requirements: Only 1 research personnel will be allowed in every 200 square feet of a research office/laboratory. Individual researchers may therefore need to prioritize the research projects they will resume and the research personnel who are working on-campus in their research spaces. The COE may also have to prioritize the projects that resume on-campus activity in cases where there are applications for more research projects to be resumed than we can accommodate given the occupancy limits across each of the buildings. See the COE Research Restart Webpage for how the COE will prioritize research.
Occupancy/Workforce Management– Update Information May 21, 2020
Given the occupancy limits and social distancing requirements, researchers might not be able to have the 30-40% of your research personnel on-campus at the same time. In this case, they may split the 30-40% of research personnel by creating daily shifts to increase social distancing. For example, some personnel can work during shift 1 and others during shift 2. Shifts can occur between 6 am and 10 pm, but COE buildings will be closed from 10 pm-6 am for custodial services to clean common areas in a safe environment.
The UT Health and Wellness Working Group recommends splitting research personnel into two cohorts that work on rotating, two-week schedules. Cohort A works on-campus for 14 days, then works from home for 14 days while Cohort B works on-campus. This 14-day remote work period slows the spread of the virus by enabling each cohort to self-isolate while monitoring themselves for COVID-19 symptoms. Importantly, the sum of researchers working across all cohorts cannot exceed the target occupancy/workforce number of 30-40% for Phase 3.
Bellmont Hall & Sanchez Building Hours of Operation– Update Information May 21, 2020
To allow custodial staff to adequately clean common areas in a safe environment, Bellmont Hall and Sanchez Building will be open only from 6 am-10 pm.
Face Coverings– Update Information May 21, 2020
Face coverings must be worn inside COE buildings at all times by all occupants, unless working, eating, or drinking in a single-occupancy office. See the VPRs Research Restart Toolkit for information about different types of face coverings.
Cleaning– Update Information May 21, 2020
Researchers are responsible for sanitizing/cleaning their own research offices. Custodial staff will not enter individual research spaces to clean/sanitize these. See the VPRs Research Restart Toolkit for proper cleaning and sanitation of offices.
Contact Tracing– Update Information May 21, 2020
All researchers will be responsible for keeping a log of individuals who enters their research offices/laboratories. These logs should be updated daily with the contact information for each individual. See the VPRs Research Restart Toolkit for more information about contact tracing.
Other Resources
Central Health helps the people of Travis County live healthier. Created in 2004 by the voters of Travis County, we are the local public entity that provides access to the high-quality care everyone needs to get well and stay healthy. We work with a network of partners to eliminate health disparities to reach our vision of Travis County becoming a model healthy community.
Today, CommUnityCare Health Centers provides services at 27 locations and 3 partner locations throughout Travis County and surrounding counties.
CommUnityCare provides outpatient primary healthcare, dental care, pediatric, specialty care, lab, radiology including mammography, a full-service pharmacy, and behavioral health services. With the addition of Carousel Pediatrics, we are now also able to offer: dental pediatrics and mental health, speech, physical and occupational therapy for children. These services are provided to all Travis County residents and those residing in surrounding counties, including people whose income and lack of private health insurance prevents them from accessing care elsewhere.
- https://sustainablefoodcenter.org/latest/blog/food-access-resources-in-central-texas-during-covid-19
Institutional Changes
Fall 2020 - Updated Information July 30, 2020
Below, you will find a few important policy updates and announcements related to COVID-19. As a reminder, the key details of our fall reopening plan are available on the Protect Texas Together website. We also recently launched a COVID-19 dashboard to monitor the number of confirmed cases within our community. Please keep an eye on both of these resources in the days and weeks ahead. We will be updating them continually.
Students Self-Quarantine Prior to Campus Arrival
In order to help prevent COVID-19 infections on our campus and in our local Austin community, we are requesting that students self-quarantine for 14 days prior to arrival in Austin.
To effectively self-quarantine, please stay in your home and limit in-person interactions as much as possible throughout the two-week period — you can learn more about how to self-quarantine here. If quarantining at home is not possible, then please quarantine for up to 14 days before your first on-campus activity once you arrive in Austin. If you are already in Austin, you should quarantine in your Austin residence for 14 days prior to the start of classes or your first on-campus activity. We know that everyone’s situation is different; please make self-quarantine plans in a manner that makes sense for you.
We are relying on all students to take very seriously the responsibility of preventing the spread of COVID-19, and self-quarantining is a critical first step.
If you are coming to campus to attend class, study, exercise, safely meet friends, dine or work, whatever the reason, you must do the following:
- Wear a recommended protective face mask indoors.
- Wash your hands well and often. Carry hand sanitizer and surface wipes.
- Keep six feet (two meters) of distance between yourself and others whenever possible.
- Participate in daily symptom screening using the Protect Texas Together app.
- Sneeze and cough into your elbow, and open doors without your hands if possible.
- When possible, meet online or outdoors and in larger common areas, not private offices or small enclosed spaces.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms or are feeling sick, stay home and call the University Health Services’ Nurse Advice Line at 512-475-6877, available 24/7, 365 days a year. You should also contact Student Emergency Services to complete the absence notifications for class.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, follow the City of Austin’s Stay Home Save Lives Order and the Governor’s Orders. While the orders and guidelines continue to evolve, parties (whether on or off campus) put peoples’ health and safety at risk and raise anxiety levels. No parties on or off campus are allowed.
The Office of the Dean of Students has identified health and safety behaviors for students that will be enforced by the Institutional Rules. Please review these rules and FAQ for more information. Remember that it is mandatory to wear a recommended protective face mask at all times when inside university buildings, except when you are alone in a private office, seated and eating in a campus dining facility, or in your own residence hall room. Recommended protective face masks are encouraged outdoors.
We know you know this, but do not put others at risk of contracting the virus by coughing on, spitting on, sneezing on, and/or purposely invading the personal space of others. Sanctions (including suspension) will be assessed based on the severity of the incident.
You can click here to report a COVID-19 violation. The university will take all reported violations seriously; however, you may not be notified of the outcome of a reported student's behavior due to federal privacy laws known as FERPA.
Please read the University President’s message on Wednesday; we are requesting that you self-quarantine for 14 days prior to arrival in Austin. You can learn more about how to self-quarantine here.
For information and updates on our Fall 2020 reopening, check the university’s Protect Texas Together website, which provides specific guidance for students, and answers many frequently asked questions.
Protect Texas Together App
We continue to make progress on the development of the Protect Texas Together app for students, faculty and staff that will help individuals track their symptoms each day and — based on those symptoms — indicate whether they are cleared to come to campus. The app is being designed with privacy in mind. Members of the UT research community have been voluntarily using the beta version of the app to help us learn and troubleshoot so that we can make it as effective as possible. The plan is to officially launch the app in mid-August
- Users can track their symptoms each day, and the app can provide a daily campus pass for those without any major COVID-19 symptoms.
- If the app’s algorithm determines that an individual may have COVID-19 based on the symptoms that person selected, the app will decline to provide a pass and instead direct the user to either University Health Services or UT Health Austin for guidance or testing. Faculty and staff members can also go to the provider of their choice.
- The app will also allow users to note their location when they enter or exit any campus room or office. For those using the app, this can replace filling out a room’s paper sign-in sheet and help keep an accurate log of campus activity so the university can quickly identify spaces that might need to be decontaminated or closed if someone later tests positive for COVID-19.
- There will be app-specific QR codes posted outside many campus buildings. If your room has a QR code, you can quickly scan that instead of manually entering your room number into the app.
Additionally, ITS is developing a call-based app to accommodate users who do not have smartphones or computer access.
Face Mask Enforcement
As a reminder, it is required that UT community members and visitors wear recommended protective face masks at all times when inside university owned and controlled buildings except:
- When alone in a private office.
- For students, when alone — or with a roommate — in an assigned residence hall room.
- When eating and drinking while practicing social distancing — including in a campus dining facility.
- When an alternative has been approved as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act or religious observance accommodation processes.
We encourage community members to wear recommended protective face masks outdoors.
UT will encourage compliance by increasing awareness and fostering a spirit of cooperation. For those who continue putting the community at risk with their behavior, corrective, disciplinary and enforcement action may be taken in accordance with the university’s guidelines for faculty, staff and students.
Students who refuse to follow directives to wear a mask — and force class to be canceled with this refusal — will be referred to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity in the Office of the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. Repeat violations will lead to sanctions including suspension from campus.
Crowd Size at Longhorn Football Games
As we’ve planned for the fall semester, one of the common questions we’ve heard from our community is: How do we expect our athletic events, and football in particular, to take place? We have been exploring a range of scenarios surrounding crowd attendance for upcoming football games at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, with a maximum occupancy of up to 50% of crowd capacity.
Kevin Eltife, Chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, has requested that the university continue to review its policies and specifically explore the logistics, health and safety effects of crowds at 25% of capacity (including students).
The analysis of this new crowd size target is a reflection of the consistent change and uncertainty that has come with the COVID-19 pandemic. As rates in Austin and throughout Texas continue to ebb and flow, we must be agile and work consistently to develop strategies to protect the safety of our student athletes, coaches, staff members, students and all who visit our campus for athletic events. As we approach the start of the football season, we will closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 and make final decisions based on the guidance of our Board of Regents and state health officials in the coming weeks.
Longhorns Online - New Information July 28, 2020
We hope this email finds you healthy and safe. As we prepare to welcome you back to The University of Texas at Austin, we have created a new resource to help you find academic support, connect with other students, and share that UT spirit: Longhorns Online.
As you know, the university has reimagined the Fall 2020 classroom experience because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new student learning experience now includes robust online, hybrid, and in-person classroom options. No matter which learning option you choose, you will have access to campus resources that will help you find what you need for success in the fall semester and beyond.
You can use Longhorns Online to easily access:
- Academic support, like advising, tutoring, and writing consultations
- Financial aid and tuition information
- Virtual career and professional development resources
- Opportunities to engage with the UT community through initiatives like Longhorn Connection and Longhorn Friday
- Resources for international students
And much more
To learn more about Longhorns Online, watch this quick video here.
Whether you’re planning to learn on campus, online, or a combination of the two, we're all Protecting Texas Together.
Fall 2020 Domestic and International Travel - Updated Information July 22, 2020
The domestic and international travel policy has been updated and the current travel suspensions for faculty, staff and students have been extended to 12/31/2020.
Visit Travel Management website for details: https://travel.utexas.edu/
Fall 2020 Registration Period - Updated Information July 19, 2020
You can find important information regarding the UT Course Schedule and the university’s Roadmap to Fall 2020. Here is an update on fall 2020 registration.
Additional changes are being made to the UT Course Schedule in order to provide more course options for fall. We have extended the fall open registration period for all students through July 31 should you need to make changes to your Fall 2020 class schedule.
We encourage you to review your course schedule regularly throughout the rest of the summer.
For questions, please contact Texas One Stop at (512) 232-6988 or onestop@utexas.edu.
Please stay safe and help us all Protect Texas Together!
Fall 2020 International Students - Updated Information July 13, 2020
Your presence on our campus is essential and UT will work hard to ensure they have our support throughout this process.
UT is taking the following steps to make it possible for students with F-1 visas to be able to attend
- UT Austin will remain a “hybrid mode” campus throughout the Fall 2020 semester. The university will not move to an “all online” posture. This status fulfills one of the requirements of the ICE guidance.
- Individual hybrid courses, all of which have an in-person component, will be available broadly across the university to satisfy the educational needs of both undergraduate and graduate students. F-1 visa holders will need to enroll in at least one hybrid or in-person course to be compliant with the newly issued guidance. Hybrid courses currently available are listed in the course schedule and a comprehensive list of hybrid and face-to-face courses is also available on the Texas One Stop website. Further, we will move additional courses to hybrid instruction mode over the week of July 16-22 July. Please consult with your departmental advisors about which hybrid courses best align with your degree program.
- There will be an extended registration period from July 23-31 for students to modify their schedules accordingly.
UT has designed these steps to both support our students and help them make progress in their education. Texas Global is organizing a series of town hall events for students and the campus. You can find information about those events on the Texas Global website.
Texas Global will be filing the necessary paperwork with ICE in early August to certify compliance with visa requirements.
Fall 2020 - Updated Information June 30, 2020
Below, you will find a summary of some of the significant policy decisions we have made for the fall. For an in-depth look at all of our fall planning decisions, please visit our new Protect Texas Together website, which provides specific guidance for students and families, faculty, staff and visitors and answers many frequently asked questions. This website will be updated continually throughout the summer and beyond, so please plan to refer back to it as time goes by.
Learning - Updated Information June 30, 2020
- The fall 2020 semester will start August 26. In-person instruction will end November 25, the day before Thanksgiving. Most students will remain away from campus for the remainder of the semester, taking final exams online from December 7 to 16.
- Students may choose to experience the full fall semester online but should make sure to assess how this decision will affect their paths toward graduation.
- Classes will be more evenly distributed throughout the day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Rooms will be assigned to classes so that when all students registered for a given class attend in person, no more than 40% of seats in that classroom will be occupied.
- There will be three modes of classes:
- Online — a class designed from the ground up so all students can attend the main class experience online.
- Hybrid — a class that has both in-person and remote learning elements, with the frequency of in-person learning based on instructional needs. Students may be able to take some hybrid courses on a completely remote basis, but other hybrid courses will require students to be on campus for a portion of their coursework. Specific frequency of in-person class meetings will vary by course and may be modified by departments in consultation with their deans during the semester as conditions change. The specific hybrid classes that can be taken completely online will be communicated to students in the coming weeks.
- In-person — a class for which there is at least some essential material that can be acquired only through in-person attendance.
- In many in-person and hybrid classes, lectures will be streamed and/or recorded to allow students who become ill or who need to self-isolate to keep up and continue to make progress.
- Every course will have an instructional continuity plan, including designating a teaching partner to take over the class in the event of instructor illness or emergency.
COVID-19 Dashboard – Updated July 8, 2020
Interim President Hartzell announced key elements of the plan for the fall semester that include our strategy for testing those who may have symptoms of COVID-19, as well as proactive community testing of well individuals on a voluntary basis.
To keep you informed, we have created a COVID-19 dashboard focused on the UT community that includes an overview of:
- The number of known cases among UT students, faculty, and staff
- Testing conducted by University Health Services and UT Health Austin clinics
- Positive test results that individuals self-report to University Health Services and HealthPoint Occupational Health Program
- Trends in proactive community testing at UT (Positive cases are updated daily and results of proactive community testing are updated weekly.)
The dashboard also reflects selected data points from the Austin Public Health Travis County COVID-19 Digital Tracking Dashboard, including daily updates of cases in Travis County and hospitalization numbers for the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties).
Data is a powerful tool in our understanding of the spread and impact of the pandemic on our campus. The goal of this dashboard is to provide the UT community with transparent access to the latest information.
Testing Resources – Updated July 8, 2020
As a reminder, if you have any new or worsening symptoms that could be COVID-19 OR if you do not have symptoms but have had close contact (defined as within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, testing is available at:
- University Health Services (students only): Call 512-475-6877
- UT Health Austin (faculty and staff): Call 833-UT-CARES (833-882-2737)
Please continue to wear cloth masks, socially distance and wash your hands frequently to minimize further spread of COVID-19 and Protect Texas Together.
IRB Changes - Updated Information July 8, 2020
PIs engaged in human subjects research will soon benefit from major improvements to the electronic solution for managing studies subject to Institutional Review Board oversight. Pending final development and testing, UT Research Management Suite – IRB will replace our legacy system, IRBaccess, in August 2020. This new tool - one of several research management solutions designed to reduce the administrative and regulatory burden on investigators - will manage the IRB study application and continuing review processes, integrate with training resources, and centralize communications between the IRB Office and researchers, study teams, and research and administrative support staff.
On July 20, 2020 the IRBaccess system will be restricted to actions for Full Board studies only. All new exempt and expedited studies need to be submitted prior to this date or preferably held until they can be submitted in the new IRB module in August. This time will allow us to complete migration of all existing study records to the UT Research Management Suite. For continued guidance on how to submit study documents during system migration, please monitor the Office of Research Support and Compliance Human Subjects webpage.
To prepare you to use the new IRB module, researchers and support staff are invited to attend informational webinars throughout the month of August. Please register for one of the UT Research Management Suite - IRB Informational Webinars below to learn more about the new solution and help you get started with your submissions.
For more information on the UT Research Management Suite, or to ask questions or raise concerns about the transition to the new system, please contact the project team or email era@austin.utexas.edu.
Your Health and Well-Being - Updated Information July 8, 2020
The university has created a plan to keep our Longhorn family healthy on campus. Residence halls, student health centers, and dining and other facilities are being modified to comply with health and safety protocols, and plan to be fully sanitized and operational when students move in on Aug. 20. We have provided personal protective equipment (PPE) for our staff working in our facilities to wear, and will continue to do so. Hand hygiene products and cleaning stations will be readily available across campus.
When you arrive on campus, the university will require you to:
Wear a cloth mask indoors, with the exception of when you are eating in a campus dining facility, or are alone or with your roommate in your on-campus residence hall room. Masks outdoors are strongly encouraged.
Avoid touching your face and cloth mask.
Carry your own cloth masks (wear one, carry a spare), alcohol-based hand sanitizer and surface wipes.
Keep your hands clean: sneeze and cough into your elbow; open doors without your hands, if possible.
Wash your hands well and often.
Keep six feet of distance between yourself and friends, faculty, staff and others whenever possible.
We encourage you to meet up with others either outdoors or in larger common areas (not private rooms), following mask and social distancing guidelines, or to meet up online.
Daily symptom screening with the university’s Protect Texas Together app (available in mid-August) will be expected for all students, faculty and staff. For select campus buildings and units, in-person temperature screening will be required; more information will be available in August. Visitors will be expected to complete a symptom screening to participate in campus meetings or other activities; visitors will not be allowed in the residence halls.
University Health Services (UHS) will continue to offer COVID-19 screening in the newly-established Designated Respiratory Clinic for symptomatic individuals and those with known exposure. They will also do Proactive Community Testing of well individuals with no known exposure. UHS is also offering COVID-19 antibody testing, and will offer vaccine administration when a vaccine becomes available.
If you get sick, stay home and call the UHS Nurse Advice Line at 512-475-6877. Please program your phone with this number before you arrive to campus—it can be used 24/7, 365 days a year. You should also contact Student Emergency Services (SES), who can help meet your basic needs and provide absence notifications for class. If you test positive or have been identified as high risk because of exposure, you will be expected to self-isolate or quarantine, as directed by health care professionals. If you can’t self-isolate or quarantine safely in your residence, UHS and SES will help you access isolation spaces through Austin Public Health at a local hotel at no cost. Medical personnel staff this facility. Individuals will be provided with three meals a day, a late-night snack, unlimited water and free internet.
When we reopen, UHS will also conduct contact tracing for UT students who have tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing helps slow the spread of COVID-19 by identifying individuals who have been in close contact with those who test positive, getting them testing and, when necessary, self-quarantining. The university will keep confidential all information voluntarily shared with contact tracers, and use it only for public health purposes.
Students needing ADA accommodations (such as wearing a mask) should contact Services for Students with Disabilities. Students with special circumstances (non-ADA), including COVID-19 symptoms, should go to SES and complete the absence notification request form.
We will encourage compliance by increasing awareness and fostering a culture of cooperation. On a case-by-case basis, for those who put the community at risk with their behavior, corrective and disciplinary action may be taken in accordance with the university’s guidelines for faculty, staff and students.
The Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) will provide its full array of services to students beginning Fall 2020, and continue telehealth services. They will extend virtual hours and offer evening appointments to students in the fall. CMHC and other facilities are converting rooms for students to use for private teletherapy appointments without having to worry about roommates or family members overhearing their confidential conversations.
UHS, which has continued to care for students since campus closed, will resume all services on campus this fall. UHS will scale on-campus staffing based on social distancing and the ability to provide safe patient care and a safe work environment for staff. Telehealth will continue to be offered as long as insurance carriers continue to reimburse for this service. UHS completed a pilot program of extended hours during the latter part of the spring semester, which is being considered for the fall (currently on hold due to reduced summer staffing).
Longhorn Wellness Center services will be offered virtually, including student organization meetings and trainings, and awareness events. Both in-person and virtual workshops will be offered, with an emphasis on sharing resources and tools that are most relevant to students right now. Students can join Canvas modules that include topics about student well-being, and access information about staying well while staying home.
Living and Dining - Updated Information July 8, 2020
All university-owned residence halls plan to open Aug. 20. We have a new process to Mooov-In safely over a period of several days, with extended hours to honor social distancing. We ask students and families to wear a cloth mask during Mooov-In, and follow all signage and staff directions. Please limit the number of accompanying helpers to no more than two or your immediate family members. Helpers will be asked to stay in their car within East Campus Garage while the student picks up their room key.
We are slating most rooms in our residence halls as double occupancy, in addition to a number of single occupancy rooms, with residents following the Guidance for Living in University Residence Halls. After Mooov-In, visitors will not be allowed in the residence halls. Residents will be required to wear cloth masks in common spaces, but not when they are alone or with their roommates in their own rooms, or when eating at an on-campus dining facility. Our staff are cleaning and disinfecting facilities daily, performing enhanced, routine cleaning of common areas, and wearing PPE.
UHD is also preparing community-building and individual opportunities to make sure students in our residence halls feel connected, including assigning a resident assistant to each resident to help them find ways to build community.
University Apartments are operating as usual, and students are being asked to follow university guidelines for personal care and social distancing, including in elevators, laundry rooms, restrooms, lounges and other common areas.
We are also modifying dining options, including ordering, delivery and seating, to follow health behavior guidelines and limit unnecessary interactions. Preparations are underway to reopen dining facilities, including those in the residence halls, for the fall semester. Possibilities include offering to-go meals served by staff, with no self-serve option at multiple locations. During peak periods, additional locations may be opened for packaged hot meal pick-up to reduce the number of diners at any one location. We are looking into increasing outside seating and potentially adding space in the halls for dining, as well as extending evening operating hours at some dining locations. Our staff are cleaning and disinfecting facilities daily, performing enhanced, routine cleaning of common areas, and wearing PPE. Dining halls will accept credit cards and funds on UT IDs such as Bevo Pay, Dine In Dollars and the resident meal plan. We are also exploring mobile apps for placing orders and pick-up.
For more information about university-owned housing and residence hall dining, please click here for up-to-date information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Campus Life and Engagement - Updated Information July 8, 2020
Student-focused buildings and spaces, including dining facilities, Recreational Sports facilities, the Student Services Building, the Texas Union and the William C. Powers, Jr. Student Activity Center, are expected to be open, with social distancing and masking requirements in place, when residence halls open to students on Aug. 20. Facility teams are beginning to implement enhanced sanitization and disinfection protocols. They will also modify furniture arrangements and adjust population capacities to follow the university’s social distancing requirements.
We want students, whether learning on or away from campus, to experience campus life and all of its benefits. The university is working on guidelines to ensure that we safely resume in-person events, meetings, student-facing transactions and student gatherings this fall. We will provide student engagement activities fully or partially online, on campus and/or in outdoor spaces. This includes meetings of student organizations, recreational sports activities and other student gatherings of various sizes. The university will institute contactless check-in for UT events and student life activities when those resume, in accordance with university events guidelines. These guidelines will be available when you arrive in August.
All student life activities will be closely monitored to follow the health and wellness guidelines, policies and procedures, to enhance the campus experience. Department support services, programs and engagement efforts will be added, removed or adapted, in response to safety protocols and direction from university leadership.
Also, look for Longhorn Connection to launch this summer. This online student portal will deliver innovative options to connect students through activities and events. Another creative outlet is Longhorn Lockbox, a portal that is now available where you can share your stories during these stressful times through poetry, lyrics, prose, music, videos, podcasts, etc.
The Office of the Dean of Students will provide a wide variety of student life activities and support services, in person and remotely. The Leadership and Ethics Institute will offer CoachUT, LEAP, open workshops and Workshops on Demand virtually. ProjectLEAD will begin in the fall semester and will remain an in-person experience to the fullest extent possible.
Sorority and Fraternity Life will continue to offer its services virtually, including programming and regular council and chapter meetings with staff. Student Emergency Services and Student Veteran Services will meet with students over the phone/online as much as possible. There may be situations when a student walks into the office in distress, or there is heightened safety concern, in which an in-person meeting will be appropriate.
Student Conduct and Academic Integrity will hold all meetings and hearings on Zoom. Title IX Training and Investigations will also schedule all meetings on Zoom. A private courtesy computer and phone will be available should a student not have equipment available and need to reach Title IX Training and Investigations.
Students who are interested in programs from New Student Services, such as Longhorn TIES (initiative to help students on the autism spectrum) and Off-Campus Living Resources (resources to help students who live off-campus), can find updated information linked from the homepage here.
University Unions’ Events + Entertainment (E+E), the largest event-planning organization on campus, is developing a variety of social, educational and cultural programs, both virtually and in-person, for the fall.
The Multicultural Engagement Center will provide leadership development opportunities, peer-facilitated social justice and education trainings, and support services to student organizations and its six student agencies. The Gender and Sexuality Center will also continue to support women and the LGBTQIA+ communities through education, outreach and advocacy.
Recreational Sports - Updated Information July 8, 2020
Plans a phased reopening for the fall semester, with some modifications regarding how you experience facilities, programs and services, in order to practice physical distancing, minimize contact, and allow for enhanced cleaning protocols. Staff will implement contactless check-in and virtual customer service options. In addition to operational modifications, there will also be a number of things that we ask you to do as you gear up to return to work out, play and participate in Recreational Sports, to help keep yourself and others safe. Virtual programming options will continue for those who are unable to participate in-person or on-campus.
If you are an incoming first-year or transfer student who was unable to participate in an online orientation session in June or July, please sign up for August Orientation. If you are a new freshman or transfer student, I encourage you to join your official “Class of . . .” Facebook group to get to know other Longhorns before the fall semester. Make plans to participate in Longhorn Welcome. This series of events welcomes new Longhorns to campus and takes place Aug. 18-28. The majority of the events will be virtual, and the details of the events will be sent to students in early August and posted at longhornwelcome.utexas.edu.
Academics - Updated Information July 8, 2020
Providing our students a safe, supportive and high-quality learning experience is of the utmost importance. Students may choose to conduct their semester online, in-person or as a hybrid of the two. Not all classes will be available online, so you will need to assess how various choices will best support your path toward graduation. For general information about what learning will look like for you in the fall, please click here. I also encourage you to contact your college or school for more information, as well as the Texas One Stop (registration, financial aid, CARES Act) and Keep Learning (tools and resources for online learning) websites.
Staying Up-to-date on Changes Updated Information July 8, 2020
As I mentioned, many student life activities, support services and programs will be held both in-person and virtually this fall. Since the status of COVID-19 is quickly evolving, many situations may rapidly change, including virtual and in-person events, activities and appointments. I encourage you to email, call or check relevant websites in advance, as some staff members may not always be physically present, facilities may be closed, or activities cancelled.
Please regularly check the university’s Protect Texas Together website, which provides specific and up-to-date guidance for students, and answers many frequently asked questions. You can also email us with questions.
Health and Wellness - Updated Information June 30, 2020
Wearing cloth masks at all times when inside university owned and controlled buildings will be mandatory except for:
When alone in a private office;
For students, when alone — or with a roommate — in an assigned dorm room;
When eating and drinking while practicing social distancing — including in a campus dining facility; and
When an alternative has been approved as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act or religious observance accommodation processes.
We encourage community members to wear cloth masks outdoors.
This summer, we will release a new app designed to help UT students, faculty and staff stay safe from COVID-19. The app will have a private diary function, allowing users to monitor symptoms and body temperature. It will also help users by providing information about available testing locations and processes.
UT has worked with public health officials to develop a strategy for testing symptomatic community members, as well as proactively testing community members based on predictive modeling. It is our expectation that UT testing labs could process up to 1,500 tests per day during the fall, barring any disruption to the supply chain.
University health professionals will work with Austin Public Health to conduct contact tracing for UT community members who test positive for COVID-19. Information voluntarily shared with contact tracers will follow public health privacy requirements.
Hand hygiene products and cleaning stations will be readily available across campus, and we encourage all members of the campus community to carry personal hand sanitizing products.
Residence Halls - Updated Information June 30, 2020
All university-owned residence halls will open August 20 with a new process to safely move in. Residence halls will operate with social distancing measures and cloth mask requirements in place.
Students with a residence hall housing contract will receive an email by July 1 notifying them of the date they can access the housing portal to select a room. Students will be required to sign a COVID-19 amendment to their housing contract.
Most rooms in residence halls will be slated as double occupancy, with a limited number of single occupancy rooms.
Graduate student apartments will continue operating as usual, with social distancing measures and cloth mask requirements in place.
Faculty Members - Updated Information June 30, 2020
Faculty members may choose to hold office hours on campus while adhering to campus safety and social distancing guidelines, or remotely (via Zoom or another technology solution).
Faculty members with medical conditions or other risk factors placing them at high risk for COVID-19 can request a reasonable accommodation using the Americans with Disabilities Act process. Those who already have an arrangement with their department chair to teach online do not need to go through this process. All others can request this accommodation using this form.
Faculty members who are assigned to teach in person but are concerned because they have a household member who is at high risk for COVID-19 may request flexible teaching arrangements using this form.
Faculty members who are unable to work due to COVID-19-related child care or school limitations should explore flexible work processes and review leave options available under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Staff Members and Student Employees - Updated Information June 30, 2020
Staff members who are able to work effectively from home will continue to do so into the fall with approval from their managers.
If an employee expresses personal concerns about a job that requires an on-campus presence, the university will use its existing flexible work processes to determine whether an alternate work arrangement is feasible.
If a return to campus concern involves a high-risk employee, the university will use our existing Americans with Disabilities Act process. Employees interested in requesting a reasonable accommodation should review the Employee Accommodation Request form.
Employees unable to work due to COVID-19-related child care or school limitations should explore flexible work processes and review leave options available under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
If you are a staff member participating in a voluntary or involuntary furlough program, please review these frequently asked questions.
Student employees will work with their supervisors to determine their working location and expectations, whether working in person, remote or hybrid.
We encourage supervisors and employees to work together to find solutions to address any current or future concerns that may arise.
International Travel Considerations - Updated Information June 30, 2020
The university will follow the Centers for Disease Control recommendations and U.S. State Department guidelines regarding international travelers self-quarantining before returning to campus.
Given the likely delays for international students trying to enter the United States, graduate programs should be flexible about allowing international students to defer admission or start learning remotely, if they request it. Incoming foreign-resident non-citizens who expect to receive support for their services as TAs or GRAs should check with their departments about the availability of that support if they begin their studies from abroad.
Athletics - Updated Information June 30, 2020
The university is developing policies and procedures for hosting football games and other athletics events this fall pursuant to state, local and Big 12 Conference health and safety guidelines. UT expects to narrow the scenarios under consideration by the first week of August.
We are also implementing policies and procedures to return essential coaches, athletics staff and all student-athletes to campus in the fall for practice/competition pursuant to guidance by the CDC, state and local officials and athletics and campus medical staff.
For more information, please read the Athletics COVID-19 Policies and Procedures Manuals.
Fall 2020 Remote Learning, Class Schedules and Room Use- Updated Information June 3, 2020
Students who are not able to return to campus this fall, or choose not to do so, will have the option of remote-only learning — i.e., taking all of their classes virtually. Not all classes will be available in this format, so students will need to assess how such a choice would affect their paths toward graduation. More details about the remote-only option, which will have the same tuition rates as on-campus learning, will be available in the coming weeks.
To maintain appropriate social distancing, classrooms will be filled at only 40 percent of capacity for in-person fall classes. The university is working with an architectural firm on design plans for rooms with fixed seating, open seating and other arrangements. Individual colleges and departments will be able to exceed 40 percent capacity in their rooms only with approval from the UT administration.
We will try to make as few changes to the existing fall schedule as possible, but there will be changes, as we will need to move some classes to alternative times in order to reduce density in buildings and on campus. As a result, fall classes will be more spread out than usual and can be scheduled between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The week of June 8, 2020, the Office of the Registrar will start to set the final schedule for our 400 largest classes — all of which will offer remote lectures (with in-person learning experiences led by teaching assistants available on campus for some of them) — and then build the rest of the final class schedule based on faculty availability and student enrollment. Some classes will have to move from their usual locations to different rooms.
There will be about 11,000 classes held during the fall semester, and as many as 2,100 of them will be presented online. The online courses will include a range of small and large classes that faculty members and college and school leadership agree can be delivered remotely in a high-quality way. We will reach out to faculty members in the coming days about determining the online courses and make final decisions by July 1.
Students who have already registered will be informed of any changes to their schedules — and will be given an opportunity to make further changes to those schedules — as soon as the university finalizes all course dates and times.
Fall 2020 Residence Halls and Other Campus Facilities- Updated Information June 3, 2020
We are planning for residence halls to reopen based on the recommendations of the health and medical experts in the Health and Wellness Working Group. We plan to begin communication with students on contracts by the end of June.
The Housing, Food and Facilities Task Force is beginning the process to reopen Recreational Sports and University Unions facilities later this summer. The San Jacinto Residence Hall rooms are being deep cleaned to house student-athletes.
Fall 2020 Parking- Updated Information July 23, 2020
Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) has been working through details for fall parking, as we understand that many of you are making plans for August and beyond.
As outlined in our June 17 message, all university garages require either an active permit or payment when exiting, and parking meters are active. All other parking such as surface lots requires a permit. Active permits or payments will continue to be required in the fall for anyone parking on campus.
If you need a permit this Fall
Garage permits - Students qualify for an R or S permit, depending on if they are dorm residents or non-dorm residents. Space in most garages is limited, so new permits are sold on a lottery system and include strict entry and payment deadlines.
- Dorm Residents – Emails will be sent on July 21 with information on how to enter the R Permit Lottery. If you miss the lottery deadlines, remaining garage permits will go on sale August 10.
- Non-Dorm Residents – If you had an S permit as of March 13, 2020, you will be able to renew your permit online beginning August 3 through August 19. If you miss the renewal deadline or if you did not have a previous S permit and want one, you can enter the S Permit Lottery beginning August 17 until most garage permits are sold out. If you miss the lottery, remaining garage permits will go on sale August 24.
All other permits - Students can purchase and renew C, C+, D, D+, M, N, and N+ permits online through My Parking Profile beginning on August 5. These permits do not have a renewal deadline and can be purchased any time for a pro-rated price.
If you only have an occasional need for Campus parking
If you will only be parking on campus occasionally this fall, you may find you do not need a permit. Beginning August 19, students can use the Parking Perks Debit Program for low-cost occasional garage parking. You can also park in a garage at a rate based on the amount of time parked.
The information in this email is also available on the PTS website at https://parking.utexas.edu/renew.
Summer 2020 Parking- Updated Information June 11, 2020
Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) deactivated parking permits and paused parking enforcement in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus). Now, with more employees, students and visitors gradually returning to campus and as research incrementally reopens and plans are made for fall and beyond, PTS will require either a permit or payment of a fee for all parking on campus beginning June 19, 2020.
On June 19, PTS will resume enforcement of parking for faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
PTS will issue citations to those who do not have an active permit or do not pay a fee at a meter or in one of the campus garages.
Those bringing vehicles to campus must follow the university’s Parking & Traffic Regulations.
Please note this important information related to permits:
Reactivating your permit. If you have a permit and would like to use it to park on campus, reactivate your permit at https://parking.utexas.edu/surveyPRD by June 18, 2020. If you choose to reactivate your permit, wait for email confirmation that it has been reactivated before using it to park on campus. If you park using a deactivated permit, you will receive a citation. If you reactivate your permit, you will be prompted to renew your permit for the next academic year in July.
Your permit will remain deactivated if you do not reactivate it by the June 18 deadline. You will lose your permit and may be added to a wait list if one exists.
Getting a permit if you do not have one. If you do not already have a permit and will need one, faculty, staff, and students can purchase permits through My Parking Profile.
Parking on campus occasionally. If you need to park on campus occasionally and will not need a permit, garages will be available with garage daily parking rates based on the amount of time parked. Faculty and staff can also use the Parking Perks Debit Program for low-cost occasional garage parking.
Renewing your permit for the academic year. PTS will send out permit renewals for the 2020-21 academic year in July. If you do not reactivate your permit by June 18, you will not be able renew for the next academic year and may be added to a wait list if one exists or choose a different parking permit option with no wait list.
Starting June 15, the following garages will be staffed Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., for in-person transactions: Brazos Garage (BRG), Health Center Garage (HCG), and San Antonio Garage (SAG).
Summer 2020 Parking for Graduate Students- Updated Information June 11, 2020
For the summer session, graduate students may use their surface lot ‘A’ permits to park in any of the UT campus parking garages at no extra charge. Even better, this is not restricted to current pass holders. If you don’t currently have an ‘A’ permit but would like one, you may purchase one for $15/month, and it, too, will access all garages.
I don’t yet know if this lower-fare parking will be extended into fall semester, but we’ll continue to discuss parking needs with UT executive leadership.
Fall 2020 Longhorn Athletics- Updated Information June 3, 2020
The first phase of Texas Athletics’ return to campus has proved effective and will be extended in preparation for the return of football student-athletes. The process continues to be monitored closely and evaluated regularly with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local health and safety guidelines, as well as campus and athletics medical staff.
A recent Big 12 directive will enable football student-athletes to begin voluntary athletic activities on campus, with UT’s strength and conditioning staff present, starting on June 15. The Student-Athlete Return to Campus Task Force is finalizing the policies and procedures to safely support these activities. The first phase on-boarding program will consist of a robust screening process that includes testing, physicals and questionnaires. Mandatory physicals, daily screening and COVID-19 safety education/training conducted by the sports medicine staff must be completed before student-athletes may begin the second phase workout program.
Summer and Fall 2020 Registration
Registration timelines and important dates are listed below for your planning purposes:
April 8 by 5:00pm: Summer 2020 & Fall 2020 course schedules post
April 27 – May 8: Registration for continuing & readmitted students, window 1, (Summer & Fall)
May 26 – 28: Registration for continuing & readmitted students, window 2, (Summer & Fall)
June 2 – 3: Registration all students, including new students (Summer semester only)
June 4: First class day, Summer semester, online instruction
June 10 – July 22 : Registration all students, including new students (Fall semester only)
August 14: Last class day, Summer semester
August 21 – 24: Registration all students, including new students (Fall semester only)
August 26: First class day, Fall semester
December 7: Last class day, Fall semester
Dates listed above are posted on the University’s academic calendars:
https://registrar.utexas.edu/calendars/20summer
https://registrar.utexas.edu/calendars/20-21
Specialized Qualifying Exam:
The next SQE deadline has been extended by two weeks, and the new deadline is now May 15th, 2020. Thus, the “no fly” zone (no outside help period) will begin on April 15, 2020. For more information on the SQE, see: https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/ELP/Doctoral+Program+Process
For 2nd year doctoral students - Mid Program Review:
All ELP doctoral students are expected to complete their Mid Program Review by the end of spring semester of their 2nd year in their program. The Mid Program Review consists of a meeting between a student and their adviser, and for the remainder of the semester, these meetings will happen remotely/online with your faculty adviser. Please plan on completing your Mid Program Review by 5/30/20. See the Mid Program Review section of our wiki for more information:
https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/ELP/Doctoral+Program+Process
Student Travel Awards:
The university has suspended all university sponsored international and domestic travel through April 30 with the possibility that this date could be extended. ELP will therefore not be disbursing any student travel awards this semester. Please reach out to the conference organizers, Airbnb, hotels, airlines, etc. to inquire about cancelling any reservations and receiving refunds. If you are encountering difficulties please let us know.
Travel Restrictions – May 12, 2020 Updated Information
In the interest of the well-being of our campus community and based on the latest information and guidance available, the university has extended domestic and international travel restrictions to June 30 (whether paid for by UT sources or external sources). A decision will be made by June 15 about travel beyond July 1.
Travel Exceptions– May 12, 2020 Updated Information
Limited exceptions can be requested for faculty, staff and graduate students for important domestic and international university-related business travel. International travel will be permitted only for COVID-19-related research, and individuals will be required to follow guidance for requesting restricted region travel approval and are encouraged to contact Global Risk and Safety for assistance.
Domestic travel exception requests must be approved by the relevant dean or vice president prior to the submission of a Request-to-Travel (RTA), and that approval should be included when the RTA is submitted. International travel will follow the guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International SOS (ISOS) and U.S. Department of State (USDOS) for dates later than July 1.
Reimbursements- May 12, 2020 Updated Information
UT will not permit reimbursements from any source for deposits, down payments, change fees or non-reimbursable airfares booked after March 26 for travel at any future time if the travel has not followed protocol.
Delegations- May 12, 2020 Updated Information
Effective March 27, all visiting delegations to UT have been canceled through July 1, with the possibility that this date could be extended, per CDC, ISOS and USDOS guidelines.
Q-Drop and Withdrawal Deadline Extended to May 8:
To support the transition to this new mode of course delivery, the deadline for Q-drops and withdrawals is now the last class day — May 8.
In addition, students are allowed to choose a Credit/No Credit grading option in courses where that was not previously allowed. Before deciding to change the grading option for a course, graduate students should discuss the change with their graduate advisers. If you are enrolled in a graduate professional program, please check with your program advisor regarding the availability of the Credit/No Credit grading option.
Summer Classes Online:
For those students who plan to participate in summer classes, courses will be held online. The summer course schedule will be published April 8, 2020 and registration for summer and fall classes will open April 27, 2020 and close May 8, 2020. These dates are a week later than previously scheduled to allow students time to meet with their advisers remotely
Stipends
The university has taken steps to help graduate students financially. As previously announced by the provost, the Tuition Reduction Benefit (TRB) gap will continue to be covered during summer 2020 and the 2020-21 academic year. Also, the university will be providing central funding for TA and AI salary increases (in an amount equivalent to 2 percent of the current TA/AI salary pool) for the next academic year. Colleges and schools will allocate these funds to help improve equity and elevate graduate student salaries.
Career Options & Planning
The Graduate School continues to partner with Texas Career Engagement to develop programming to help students plan careers during the pandemic. The Graduate School is also continuing its work through the AAU Ph.D. Education Initiative to inform students of their many career options and help them to successfully navigate a wide variety of career paths. You can view upcoming sessions for graduate students at the Texas Career Engagement website.
Graduate Student Support
Graduate students will benefit tremendously from course expansion this summer—additional TA and AI positions will be available during the summer, and the Graduate School will be contributing more than $1 million to support these TA/AI summer positions.
Additionally, the university will be providing central funding for TA and AI salary increases (in an amount equivalent to 2 percent of the current TA/AI salary pool) for the next academic year. Colleges and schools will be able to allocate these funds in the best ways to help improve equity and elevate graduate student salaries.
Summer tuition for graduate students will remain at the current discounted rate. Furthermore, for the next two years graduate students have been exempted from the 2.6 percent annual tuition increases—that is, tuition for students in the graduate school will remain flat—a benefit that will last past the summer semester.
Professional Development
In the coming weeks, Texas Career Engagement will be developing resources and hosting online events to help students prepare for their job search following the economic impact of the pandemic.
You may apply for a complimentary registration to attend Beyond the Professoriate's 7th Annual Online Career Conference for Ph.D.s. Texas Career Engagement and the Graduate School will be providing registration for 50 graduate students for the Zoom webinar event on Saturday, May 2 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Teaching Resources
The Faculty Innovation Center (FIC) continues to provide resources to help you make the transition to online courses as well as improve teaching and learning in general.
Additionally, the FIC’s Graduate Student Teaching Showcase presentations are now online. Seven graduate students from across campus were selected to present at the showcase, which highlights instructors who have implemented creative pedagogical approaches in their classrooms.
Updates
Announcements from the University and College related to the response to COVID-19 will continue to be posted at the websites below:
Please Check the Following Regularly –
UT Coronavirus Updates and FAQs: https://coronavirus.utexas.edu/.You can also provide feedback and submit questions there so that the university can continue to respond and support you through this challenging period.
College of Ed Guidance: https://education.utexas.edu/coronavirus.
Graduate School: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/content/covid-19-frequently-asked-questions
The Texas One Stop, for critical information around registration, tuition, and financial aid. This information will be updated frequently. Additionally, graduate students can contact their graduate coordinators and advisers for more information.
Finally
We are aware that the COVID-19 moment has exposed some of society’s greatest flaws. Xenophobic and racist behavior directed to the Asian and Asian American community; racist trolls infiltrating our online communities and using hateful slurs towards our students; and the fraying of the social safety net for the most vulnerable members of our community. Please know that the ELP community is here to support you and your families, colleagues, and community members. Don’t hesitate to reach out directly to your faculty, your advisors, and departmental leadership if you are experiencing difficulty during this stressful time. Also, the Campus Climate Response Team (CCRT) is accepting bias reports; you can access the online system here:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form?EQBCT=11b77a5089cc4d6b9226bb17e6f79a2d.
We know this is not how you envisioned your spring semester to be (none of us did), but we are all doing our very best to adjust and transition. Our goal is to preserve your academic experience and continue your educational journey as much as possible and ensure your success at UT.
