Preparing for fall at UH
06/12/2020, 10:00:01 AM
President Khator - smilling

Dear Students,

I hope you and your families are safe and healthy.  These are unsettling times due to the pandemic’s impact on the nation’s economy and public health. I know that you value your education and its positive influence on your future. We value your education, too, because we know that as we emerge from this crisis, we will need leaders and thinkers like you to shape our common future. We remain committed to our mission, and our plans are being driven by the expert advice we’ve received about keeping the health and safety of our students and UH community at the forefront.

Here are few updates for you and your family as you consider your options for the fall.

Instruction in multiple formats: The University of Houston will be offering classes in these three formats:

  1. HyFlex classes, which will provide “face to face” instruction on campus.  To respect the need for social distancing in our classrooms, we may have limited access to “face to face” sections in these HyFlex classes. Face-to-face HyFlex classes are also live-streamed to allow students to attend virtually, or a recorded version of the class can be watched online outside of normal class hours.
  2. Virtual, live-streamed classes scheduled as normal at a particular time and day for those who do not wish to come to campus. 
  3. Fully online classes available at any time for those do not wish to come to campus but need a flexible schedule. 

Make progress toward your degree: Regardless of the formats you choose, there will be ample courses available to make progress toward earning your degree. The selections may be limited in some cases, but every effort will be made to ensure that you have enough courses to keep advancing.

Flexibility in academic policies: Similar to how the spring and summer semesters were handled, the UH faculty is considering flexible policies to accommodate your special circumstances while still keeping your learning and academic success as the ultimate goal.

Financial Aid will be available: UH is already assisting students in identifying a wide range of financial grants, loans and scholarships for the fall.  Please make sure you complete the 2020-21 FAFSA or TASFA, which allows us to determine your eligibility for aid.

Student support services on campus and online: Student services – including the Student Health Center and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) – will be available on campus and online. Additionally, the Student Center and the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center will be open and operational.

Your safety is our top priority: If you choose the on-campus format, you can count on the following:

  1. The University of Houston will be operating under the strict safety guidelines provided by medical experts with the CDC and the state. 
  2. All classrooms will be reconfigured to meet 6-feet social distancing requirements.
  3. We will be encouraging people to wear masks or face coverings if they are unable to maintain recommended social distancing.  
  4. We have a plan to identify, mitigate and isolate anyone testing positive with COVID-19 virus. We will make testing available either directly on campus or at a designated site for quick results.
  5. To mitigate the anticipated spread of the virus resulting from holiday travel, we are transitioning all academic activities online after Thanksgiving, when we will have just a single week remaining on the academic calendar followed by finals.   
  6. Strict and frequent sanitization measures will be followed in all common and high-touch areas, including classrooms.

Campus housing will be open: Student Housing & Residential Life will be open in the fall. We are revising our move-in procedures to comply with social distancing guidelines and will be sharing additional information about move-in and fall operations in the coming weeks. Student Housing & Residential Life will communicate any changes for the fall via email and will post them at uh.edu/housing.

UH games will be on: Some of you have inquired about sports, particularly football.  Currently, our plan is to follow NCAA guidelines and hold games as scheduled.  Of course, anything can change (and we will never jeopardize public safety), but it is our intention to bring back sports safely and smartly.  Go, Coogs!

Your dream of college education is as important to us as it is to you. Do not give up on your dream without making every possible effort.  I invite you to visit University’s coronavirus website for the latest updates.  You can also ask us specific questions at coronavirus@uh.edu.

I look forward to seeing you in fall wearing your red!

With warm regards,

Renu Khator

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