Fall Classes, Events and COVID-19
A Message from Monica Mendez-Grant
Dear TWU Students,
As Dr. Feyten indicated in her note to faculty and staff this past week, our mantra for the past 18 months has been to remain fluid, and for the next few weeks at least, we will continue doing so.
Protect yourself and others
Across the state, the evidence is clear that COVID-19 vaccines are remarkably effective at preventing severe illness and death. We ask that you continue to wear masks indoors, and we encourage you to get vaccinated if you have not already done so. To make it easier for you, Student Health Services has partnered with the State Department of Health to offer on-campus vaccination clinics in Denton (open to Dallas students as well) during move-in on Monday, August 16 and Tuesday, August 17. Additionally, we have requested vaccines so that we can administer those as needed through our Student Health Services. Students in Houston can obtain a vaccine at UT Houston and can make an appointment with UT Physicians.
In conjunction with the start of the fall semester, we are launching our “Community of Immunity” initiative, which will award prizes based on overall vaccination rates of 70%, 80% and 90%. Approximately $150,000 in laptops, tuition scholarships, parking passes and more will be awarded!
Vaccinated students should follow the instructions on the Student Health Services website and upload your vaccination status now. If you have issues with uploading, please contact Student Health Services. It’s also a good idea to bring your vaccination card with you to campus in the event that you have issues uploading your information.
Unvaccinated students that have been identified as having a known exposure to a COVID-19 positive person will be required to quarantine for at least 10 days or longer depending on testing. If a student is unvaccinated and can prove a COVID-19 diagnosis and recovery in the last three months, quarantine will not be required. Additionally, TWU anticipates implementing a new program that will require routine testing for unvaccinated students. Those who have been vaccinated will be exempt from this testing requirement. More information will be forthcoming.
We continue to update our coronavirus website with useful information. For example, you can find the reporting form there should you ever test positive for COVID-19, become exposed to someone who tests positive, or begin to exhibit symptoms. Risk Management staff continue to follow CDC guidance on contact tracing.
Face-to-face classes
We know that many of you want and expect face-to-face classes this fall. Some--students, faculty and staff--are also anxious about personal and family safety. So, for the first three weeks of classes (a timeline informed by epidemiologists’ modeling), please remain as flexible as possible. Rather than pivoting to fully online teaching and learning, faculty have been encouraged to find ways for in-person engagement each week. What that means is that some of you may continue meeting in-person while others may only meet once each week rather than twice or other scenarios.
Events
Student Life will continue to offer planned events, like Block Party and other Pioneer Camp and Maroon Madness in-person, many of which are also outdoors. Masks and social distancing will be encouraged at these events as well as others planned throughout the semester.
Per CDC guidelines, vaccination combined with mask wearing is our best strategy at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 during this current surge. Our Chancellor and President, Dr. Carine Feyten, continues to bring together administration to ensure we are doing what is possible to ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff. TWU will continue this practice until this pandemic has run its course. Thank you for your efforts to keep the campuses of TWU safe and healthy this upcoming academic year!
Sincerely,
Monica Mendez-Grant, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Life
Page last updated 2:40 PM, February 16, 2022