Dear UH Student:

As communicated by President Khator yesterday, the University of Houston is taking extraordinary steps to mitigate the possibility of our students, faculty, and staff contracting COVID-19. This is being done while also making every effort to continue instructional activities during the spring semester.

In response to city and county emergency health declarations, we will be transitioning all classes to an online format in an effort to limit large gathering and to practice social distancing. No face-to-face classes will be offered on campus at the University of Houston, UH at Sugar Land, or UH at Katy until at least April 6.

In order to ensure a smooth and efficient transition to online delivery, the University has instituted a one week pause in all instructional activities beginning Monday, March 16, including existing online classes. This will include all tests, exams, and assignments due during the week of Monday, March 16 through Saturday, March 21. During this instructional pause, your faculty instructors will be preparing to deliver all classes remotely beginning Monday, March 23.

If your instructor is currently using either Blackboard or Courseware as part of your current class, they will continue to use them. If not, you will be able to access your class through Blackboard on Monday, March 23. If this is the case, please login to Blackboard to access the online version of your face-to-face class. Faculty instructors have been asked to contact all of their students through Blackboard, Courseware, or email beginning Monday, March 16. It is important that you respond to your instructor so that they are confident that you have remote access to your class.

During the one week pause in all instructional activities from Monday, March 16 through Saturday, March 21, you are required to take the following actions:

• Login to access your online class (or classes) through either Blackboard or Courseware and respond to your instructor’s messages. If your instructor also contacts you by email please response to that email as well. In either case, you are required to establish contact with your instructor by Wednesday, March 18.

• You will receive a copy of your modified class syllabus from your faculty instructor no later than Friday, March 20, detailing how your class content will be delivered remotely. 

• CASA will be closed Monday, March 16 through Saturday, March 21. A decision will be made at that time regarding CASA’s further operations.

• Classes will resume remotely beginning Monday, March 23 and continue online at least until Saturday, April 4.

If you have questions about your courses, please reach out directly to your faculty instructor through Blackboard, Courseware, or via email. I am committed to keeping you regularly updated of any changes to our schedule concerning remote operations, or any broader city or county developments that may impact the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff.
 
As we navigate through these challenging circumstances together, I assure you that faculty will continue to deliver the highest quality of education regardless of the format. Please continue to monitor your UH email as well as uh.edu. For specific questions about the impact of COVID-19, please reach out to coronavirus@uh.edu.
 

Warm regards,

Paula Myrick Short
Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UH System
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, UH
provost@uh.edu | 832-842-0550

This is an official message sent by the University of Houston. To verify the validity of this message, email security@uh.edu.