Editor’s note: This story is part of The Daily Texan’s coverage of how coronavirus concerns are affecting UT-Austin. Read the rest of our coverage here.
Update 3/13 5:35 p.m.: All eight UT System academic institutions have extended their spring break or canceled face-to-face classes for a week in response to concerns about COVID-19 as of March 13.
Universities planning to extend the break and continue the semester online will keep their residence halls and dining services open for the time being.
All academic institutions are following travel restrictions in accordance to guidelines released by the UT System on March 2. All University-related travel requires review from the university’s institutional International Oversight Committees if it is to Level 3 or 4 countries as specified by the Center of Disease Control.
“The presidents and their teams continue to work closely with local, state and national government and health officials to address the complex issues,” Karen Adler, a spokesperson for the UT System, said in an email.
The Daily Texan wrote an article explaining how UT-Austin is handling the coronavirus.
UT-Arlington:
UT-Arlington will extend spring break for an additional week. During that week, all already-online courses will be conducted as scheduled, according to a letter from UT-Arlington on March 12.
Devynn Case, a spokesperson for the university, said there have been no decisions made regarding commencement schedules.
"The impact on the academic calendar will be evaluated as the situation continues to evolve,” Case said.
All University-sponsored domestic travel is highly discouraged, according to UT-Arlington’s website. All employees and students planning international travel must report it to the university.
UT-Dallas:
UT-Dallas will extend their spring break by one week, according to a letter from UT-Dallas on March 12. All classes will resume on March 30 online, according to the letter.
All employees and students planning international travel must report it to the university, according to an update on March 9.
UT-Dallas did not respond for a request for comment by the time of print.
UT-El Paso:
Update 3/13 5:35 p.m.: UT-El Paso will cancel face-to-face classes for the week of March 23. Online classes will continue as scheduled for the week, according to an update on the UT-El Paso website released March 13.
On March 30, the university will move to remote classes depending on the type and size of the class.
“In cases where course content cannot be delivered remotely, such as some laboratories and performing arts courses, faculty should work to reconfigure their classes for alternative delivery that would achieve social distancing,” the update said.
University-sponsored international and domestic travel is suspended, with the exception of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Any student or employee traveling to Level 2 or 3 countries, as determined by the CDC risk assessment must report their travel to the university and self-isolate 14 days upon returning, according to the update.
UT-El Paso did not respond for a request for comment by the time of print.
UT-Permian Basin:
UT-Permian Basin will cancel all in-person classes the week of March 16-20, according to a letter from UT-Permian Basin March 12.
Sandra Woodley, president of the university, said the semester will end on the same dates.
“Students will accelerate the rest of their studies over the course of the semester so that they will get it all in in the same amount of time,” Woodley said.
Woodley said the university will consider extending online classes if there are positive cases in the area.
All university international and domestic travel must be approved from the president’s office from March 23 to May 1, according to the letter.
UT-Rio Grande Valley
UT-Rio Grande Valley will extend spring break by one week and all classes will take place online until further notice, according to an update on their website sent out March 12.
Patrick Gonzales, a spokesperson for the university, said the university is working on revising the academic calendar.
“Obviously, it's going to push back some dates, some final (exam) dates, but we're going to try our best to fit everything in as close to normal as possible,” Gonzales said.
All university-related travel is restricted internationally and to California, New York, Washington and Massachusetts, Gonzales said.
UT-San Antonio
UT-San Antonio will extend spring break by one week and classes will resume online until April 13 at a minimum, according to a letter from UT-San Antonio on March 11.
The university will extend the semester by three days and will compress the final exam schedule into five days. Commencement will occur as planned, said Joe Izbrand, spokesperson for UT-San Antonio.
All university-sponsored international travel must be approved by the university, according to an update from March 6.
UT-Tyler
UT-Tyler will extend spring break by one week and all classes will be held online the week after, according to an update posted on their website on March 11.
Lucas Roebuck, spokesperson for UT-Tyler, said the university is monitoring the outbreak to determine whether classes will be held online for longer.
Roebuck said at this time, there are no plans to extend the length of the semester.
Any university-sponsored international travel is banned. Any employee or student planning to travel internationally must report it to the university, according to the update.
