Dear faculty colleagues,
As you’re probably aware, the university has revised its masking guidance to make it consistent with that from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and with the governor’s executive order.
We are entering a new transitional phase in which many aspects of our lives will return to normal. For some in our community, this transition will feel uncomfortable. I think it important to acknowledge this. Although more people in our communities are being vaccinated and the effectiveness of those vaccinations are proving to be very good, COVID-19 will not be going away, forcing us to deal with it for years to come.
The trends we see now support a transition toward a more normal existence, albeit one with appropriate precautions. For us, that means, among other things, students returning for in-person instruction this fall. The new masking guidance does not change our basic plan for the fall, but discussions are underway to provide appropriate health and safety guidelines to campus, led by our health and wellness committee. We will share those updates with you this summer, along with some language you can consider including in your syllabi.
We also will continue to operate and promote our Proactive Community Testing program. Since last June, we administered more than 100,000 tests to UT students, faculty and staff. Testing will continue to play a critical role. This program has been a fast, free and effective way for all members of our campus to quickly receive a test and also has enabled us to effectively identify and contact trace positive results.
We will also continue to promote and administer vaccinations through the university to the campus and Austin-area communities. We expect everyone who wants to receive a vaccine will have had the opportunity to do so well before the beginning of the fall semester. Our health and wellness committee is also tracking guidance about potential booster shots to the vaccines and the mechanisms for administering them, if necessary.
The arc of this year in our lives has been dramatic and unpredictable. Transitioning toward normalcy may feel unusual in different ways, and individuals’ decisions around masks will require respect for one another. My hope is the data this summer continues to show that having more fully vaccinated people in our communities will support a return to a more normal fall semester.
I appreciate all that you have done this year. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Dan Jaffe