Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Mary Ellen Cavitt announced health and safety changes beginning in the summer II semester, including mandated face coverings.
The campus health and safety guidelines that began June 8 include but are not limited to:
- requiring protective face coverings,
- decreasing the density of classrooms, shared offices, and co-curricular events,
- enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols, and
- communicating the university’s expectations for personal and public health measures.
These academic and workplace modifications are based on the Centers for Disease Control’s list of medical conditions that may place individuals at higher risk for serious illness and/or complications from COVID-19:
1. People 65 years and older
2. People of all ages with ongoing underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled:
- Chronic lung disease such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- Moderate to severe asthma
- Serious heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, or congenital heart disease
- Immunocompromised conditions such as cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and immune weakening medications
- Severe obesity (Body mass index of 40 kg/m2 or higher)
- Diabetes, type 1 or 2 or gestational
- Chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis
- Liver disease such as cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis
- Hemoglobin disorders such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia
Additional modifications to help protect those at high risk may be provided on a case-by-case basis if they do not pose significant difficulty or expense, do not alter the academic expectations of a course or program, and allow employees to still accomplish the necessary functions of their position.
The University Star will continue to provide COVID-19 updates as any additional information is released.
Individuals concerned about possible exposure to COVID-19 are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider or the Hays County Local Health Department at 512.393.5520. For additional information about COVID-19, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services or the Centers for Disease Control website.
The University Star’s COVID-19 coverage can be found here.
