President Denise Trauth announced in a campus-wide email on Monday that students living in on-campus housing and Bobcat Village for the spring semester will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test prior to move-in. Testing must be performed within 72 hours of arrival.
The announcement comes in response to growing concerns over the Omicron variant, which has been spreading throughout Texas rapidly. The variant is highly contagious even to those who are vaccinated and is often difficult to differentiate from the common cold.
In an update email sent to incoming residents, the Department of Housing and Residential Life clarified that students moving in early must also test at least 72 hours before arrival. 
This semester, students will upload their negative results to the housing portal. DHRL said they will send an email on Jan. 10 with specific instructions. Because the results will be reviewed by staff, students should allow time between uploading their results and checking in.
Texas State also requests that students, faculty and staff test prior to returning to campus, but proof of a negative result will not be required.
“It is critical that we protect our university community by taking the steps we know work to mitigate the spread — get vaccinated and boosted if eligible, get tested, report positive results to Bobcat Trace, and wear a mask, especially when indoors in crowded spaces,” Trauth said in the email. 
COVID-19 PCR, antigen tests and at-home antigen tests will be accepted as valid results. Free COVID-19 testing sites can be found at  Curative Testing and Texas COVID-19 testing sites.
Trauth said the university will provide a formal update on how the spring semester will be conducted during the week of Jan. 3.