COVID-19 Information

Latest Updates

The University of Texas at Dallas is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus), and there are currently no known cases within the UT Dallas community.

• Instruction for the remaining spring semester and all of the summer semester will be online. UT Dallas Provost Inga Musselman has approved a number of temporary changes for the semester regarding course withdrawals, course adds, credit/no credit and pass/fail.
• All research laboratories have either greatly decreased or suspended on-site activities. More information regarding research operations can be found on the research continuity page.
• In response to the emergent needs of campus, the UT Dallas Student Emergency Fund has been created. Contributions will assist students dealing with housing and food insecurity, elimination of jobs or reduced incomes, medical care, needs associated with remote learning and other unplanned expenses.
• Updates to University housing for current residents can be found on the housing website. Payments for residence halls or dining plans will be credited or reimbursed for unused portions.
• Spring commencement will not take place as scheduled. Please monitor the commencement schedule site and your UT Dallas email for more details about the rescheduling of ceremonies.
• Commencement activities announcements:
  • Doctoral hooding will not take place as scheduled. Please monitor the doctoral hooding site for more details about rescheduling.
  • Undergraduate Honors Convocation will not take place. For further information, please see the Office of Undergraduate Education website.
• All other campus events have been canceled, virtualized or postponed until further notice. Questions about previously scheduled events should be referred to the event sponsor. Event sponsors should consult with the appropriate dean or vice president for further input on cancellations.
• Access to the Eugene McDermott Library, the Activity Center, Rec Center West, and most other academic, administrative and research buildings has been restricted to employees who are necessary to maintain the physical plant and research enterprise and to provide essential support services.
• To minimize the spread of COVID-19, students, faculty and staff should follow the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid becoming sick.
• Students, faculty or staff asked to self-quarantine for a 14-day period should follow these quarantine guidelines.

Outreach

At UT Dallas, faculty, staff, students and researchers are doing their part to meet the challenges of a global pandemic. The following highlights the efforts taking place at the University:

McDermott Library’s Resources Remain Just a Click Away During Campus Closure
It’s National Library Week, and users can still find scholarly journals, brush up on computer software skills and connect with library staff members remotely. (04/23/20)

Educational Technology Team Eases Transition to eLearning
A collaborative effort ensured that faculty had everything they needed, while some professors went beyond the essentials of online learning to keep students engaged. (04/20/20)

See more outreach efforts at UT Dallas.

Travel Advisory

For the sake of community safety and based on the latest guidelines from the CDC, UT Dallas has suspended all University-related international travel for students and employees for the rest of the calendar year. University-related domestic travel is suspended until further notice. Additionally, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. If you are returning from any international destination, you will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon your return.

On March 29, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered that anyone entering Texas as the final destination through an airport from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Louisiana, Washington or the cities of Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit or Miami, is required by law to self-quarantine for 14 days. An individual will be required to fill out a form with their designated quarantine location and proceed directly to that location after disembarking.

The governor further mandated a 14-day quarantine for road travelers arriving in Texas from any location in Louisiana. Both of these restrictions build upon Gov Abbott’s order on March 26.

For employees who have traveled internationally or are returning from any of the above domestic destinations: Supervisors are responsible for tracking the 14-day self-quarantine period for their employee and not permitting the employee to return to campus prior to completing the full 14-day period.

For students who have traveled internationally or are returning from any of the above domestic destinations: Any students returning from international travel need to contact the Dean of Students Office prior to returning to campus. A 14-day self-quarantine period will be necessary. The suspension of University-related domestic travel includes trips that have already been approved. Any subsequent future requests will have to be reapproved.

These procedures are subject to change based on the dynamic situation. Please continue to monitor this webpage and your email for any updates.

We understand this may directly affect your plans, and we thank you for your cooperation.

Health and Safety

According to the CDC, fever, cough and shortness of breath are among the most-common COVID-19 symptoms which may appear in two to 14 days after exposure. If you or anyone you know has traveled to countries designated as Level 2 or higher — where widespread transmission has occurred — or has been in close contact with a traveler to one of these countries and is exhibiting any of these symptoms, we advise that you follow guidelines recommended by the CDC .

The health of our campus is very important. As with any communicable illness, we encourage students, faculty and staff to always take precautions to avoid becoming sick. Please review CDC guidelines on preventive measures:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue; then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• CDC recommends  wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Faculty and Staff: As always, if you have any concerns that affect your ability to work, contact your supervisor.

About COVID-19

What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has been identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. At this time, CDC believes that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

Source: Texas Department of State Health Services ; CDC

Our Commitment to All

This is a stressful time replete with worry for ourselves and our loved ones. Sadly, there are reports from around the country of people choosing to express their fear with hostile words and actions toward others solely because of their nationality, race or ethnicity. In light of these disturbing incidents, UT Dallas reaffirms its focus on our long history of respect for and support of people from around the world. It is essential to reaffirm that our University welcomes all, regardless of their country of origin, race, heritage or ethnicity.

Previous Campus Communication

Memo to Students About Grading Options, Resources – 4/24/2020

Summer Classes Online – 4/3/2020

Delivery Format for Summer Courses – 4/2/2020

Coronavirus Updates, Working Remotely – 3/27/2020

Temporary Policy Exceptions for CR/NC and P/F Grading – 3/26/2020 

Being a Comet in This Moment – 3/20/2020 

COVID-19 Update, Guidance – 3/17/2020 

Updated Campus Operations – 3/17/2020 

Remote Work Update – 3/15/2020 

Be Prepared to Work Remotely – 3/13/2020 

Changes to UT Dallas Operations – 3/12/2020 

Campus Update on Continuity, University Domestic Travel – 3/10/2020 

Travel Advisory Update, Including Spring Break – 3/9/2020 

Staying Informed and Healthy: A Message From the President of UT Dallas – 3/2/2020 

UT Dallas Continues To Monitor Coronavirus – 2/28/2020 

UT Dallas Monitors Coronavirus – 01/31/2020