UT Austin, Texas State University students prepare for return to in-person classes

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Some Austin-area students are preparing to resume in-person classes on Monday.

This includes students from the University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University.

“Multiple data points, including on-campus case counts and Proactive Community Testing (PCT) positivity rates, indicate that the situation on and around our campus is improving,” quoted a letter from the president of the University of Texas, Jay Hartzell, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This return does not mean that things will always be easy or straightforward. In view of this, I have one request: please show yourselves grace, be patient and flexible…”

For the first two weeks of the spring semester, university leaders have asked professors to teach remotely from Jan. 18-28 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases attributed to the omicron variant.

The idea was to gradually bring students and teachers back to campus, while starting classes.

Denise M. Trauth, President of Texas State University announced a similar plan on January 14 for students, “to limit disruption caused by the latest outbreak of COVID-19 and to protect the safety and health of our Texas State University community.” University leaders also called at the time for students to be tested within 72 hours of returning to campus.

UT students have also been asked to get tested for COVID-19 within three days of returning.

Huston-Tillotson University delayed the start of in-person classes and began remote learning on January 10. In-person instruction began on January 24.

St. Edward’s University began in-person classes for the semester on January 10.