Updated: April 9, 2020 4:45 p.m. CDT
The Latest:
The Texas A&M University Disaster Relief Fund will aid Aggie students and employees affected by the crisis. Originally created to assist Aggies following the destruction of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, donations to the fund will now support Texas A&M students, faculty and staff in small-but-essential, one-time immediate needs in the wake of COVID-19.
Gifts to the fund will support those suffering from financial hardship as a result of circumstances surrounding COVID-19, such as those Aggies who are struggling to find alternative housing or face unexpected moving expenses, or those facing food insecurity or lost wages. Contributions will be processed quickly to get funds into the hands of the university leadership with the responsibility of assessing needs and providing direct help.
Students seeking emergency aid as a result of circumstances surrounding COVID-19 should visit the Financial Aid website.
For more information, please visit https://www.txamfoundation.com/covid-19-relief-fund.aspx
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order March 31 that supersedes the shelter-in-place order previously issued by local government officials. The governor's order is scheduled to expire April 30.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
As long as you have not traveled internationally or on a cruise within the last 14 days and are symptom-free, you may come to campus any time to remove your belongings and return your key. Please practice responsible social distancing while on campus moving out, including not crowding in groups of more than ten in lobbies and a maximum of two people in an elevator at one time.
Residence Halls & White Creek Apartments
Cancel your housing contract online (click “Request Forms”). If you are unable to do this online, email your name, UIN, a request to cancel and the date you wish to check out to housing@tamu.edu.
Return your Room KEY
Once you have removed your belongings and cleaned out your room/apartment, place your key in a KEY ENVELOPE, fill out the information on the outside of the envelope, and drop it in the key dropbox.
Key Envelopes & Key Dropbox Locations
Corps Dorms
Cadets wishing to cancel their housing for the remainder of the semester should complete an in-hall cancellation form, remove their belongings from their room, place their key in a key envelope and drop the envelope and cancellation form in the dropbox located in the laundry room. In-hall cancellation forms and key envelopes can be found in laundry rooms next to the drop boxes. If there are no forms left, email housing@tamu.edu with your name, UIN, a request to cancel and the date you wish to check out.
Gardens Apartments
Gardens residents wishing to cancel their housing contract should remove all of their belongings from the apartment, fill out and print a cancellation form, tape their key to it, and drop it in the key dropbox near the north entrance of the Gardens Community Center.
Housing Refunds
Until further notice, university-sponsored domestic and foreign travel is suspended unless the travel is deemed mission critical. All such proposed domestic and foreign travel requests must be submitted through Concur so the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance can conduct an assessment before making a recommendation to the Office of the Provost. Final approval is required prior to departure, therefore, requests should be submitted at least five (5) business days before the proposed travel to enable completion of the review and approval process. It is advised that no funds are paid on planned travel prior to final approval being granted. Contact Jason Boyle (jboyle@tamu.edu) with the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance with any questions. Additionally, the university strongly discourages international travel and domestic air travel outside of Texas.
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY NEW GUIDANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS
Domestic Travelers Guidance
International Travelers Guidance
Online Delivery for Summer Courses
All summer courses offered through Texas A&M University in the first, second, and 10-week summer terms (including the May “minimester”) will be delivered online. We had hoped to resume coursework on campus for the second summer session, but with preregistration underway, some uncertainty on the apex of COVID19, and the need for both our students, faculty, and staff to plan, we have decided to move forward with the decision to teach all summer courses online.
As we previously announced, distance education differential tuition will not be charged for online courses this summer at an individual course level for all students in traditional degree programs. For students enrolled in distance education degree programs, there is no change in how they will be charged.
Spring Classes:
Classes are canceled March 16-20. This will enable faculty, staff and student leaders to continue coordinated planning for the remainder of the semester.
Classes will resume online only March 23 – April 28 (the last day of classes).
Face-to-face classes are canceled March 16-20 and classes resume online only March 23 – April 28 (the last day of classes). No assignments, exams or quizzes are permitted until March 23, 2020. Faculty will communicate with students and post a new syllabus. Note that some exceptions are being routed through leadership on a case-by-case basis for small graduate classes to meet in person and that any graduate or professional studies students with questions in these cases can consult their faculty.
For courses that were previously online only.
A determination will be made in the coming weeks about the ability to hold final exams in person, as well as commencement.
The university remains open to faculty, staff and students who choose to be on campus. No undergraduate students are required to be physically on campus but students are permitted to be on campus for services and facility.
Students conducting clinical activities, student teaching, graduate and professional students should consult your respective program leadership for guidance.
Keep Learning at TAMU is an online resource dedicated to helping you transition your learning online. For more information and resources, please visit https://keeplearning.tamu.edu/
If you need assistance with course accommodations, please contact Disability Resources
The Texas A&M administration announced Saturday, March 21 that temporary changes to grading, Q-drop and withdrawal deadlines were recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and approved by President Michael K. Young. Details are outlined in this message.
Students now can choose Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading for any course in which they are enrolled in the spring semester 2020. Students have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 28 to make changes to their grading options. Additional guidance to students on how to opt-in to S/U grading will be provided next week. This may not be applicable to students in first professional degree programs who should contact their program for grading information.
The Q-drop and Withdrawal deadline has been extended to 5 p.m. Friday, April 24. Q-drops after Spring Break will not count toward the institutional limit of four, nor the state limit on drops.
Any student considering the change from graded to S/U grading may need to consult with an advisor to understand the implications on future plans, including progress toward a degree or financial aid.
If you begin to feel ill, please call your healthcare provider prior to visiting any clinic. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is imperative that you speak with your healthcare provider first as they may need to take special precautions prior to you visiting the clinic. If you have health insurance, contact the insurance provider and obtain a list of in-network facilities to assist you during this time.
Students: Student Health Services is available for TAMU students to utilize during this time. A respiratory clinic has been established and is specifically for patients exhibiting respiratory symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, etc.). Students are still able to utilize the clinic if they are need to be seen by a clinician for non-respiratory issues. The general clinic entrance and the respiratory clinic entrances are on opposite ends of the building, and all health and safety precautions are being taken at this time. All students will need to be pre-screened via phone prior to utilizing SHS. All information can be found online at https://shs.tamu.edu/appointments.
Student workers should contact their supervisor regarding their ability to work.
We recommend that departments be creative in identifying mechanisms to allow student workers to work remotely with the provision that appropriate duties can be assigned and that the department has mechanisms in place to monitor that work.
Student workers, including Graduate Assistants assisting faculty in person (e.g. helping faculty move courses to online instruction and research) are reminded to social distance at least six feet apart with meetings of 10 persons or less, as well as other safety measures.
University guidance regarding student employment is available here from the Student Employment Office in Scholarships & Financial Aid. Please direct questions to jobsforaggies@tamu.edu or leave a voicemail at 979-845-0686.
To facilitate the move to online instruction beginning March 23, 2020 there are several resources and training opportunities available on campus and via ZOOM next week. If you have graduate teaching assistants who would benefit from this information, please share with them.
Log on to Keepteaching.tamu.edu which is a comprehensive resource to help move courses online. Please review this resource before you attend training sessions or seek walk-in support, as many of your questions may be answered by this resource.
Additional Information:
Any change to the course syllabus must be communicated in advance to students.
The Vice President of Research is updating a web page on various research, lab and other considerations at this site: https://vpr.tamu.edu/covid-19
Student workers, including Graduate Assistants assisting faculty in person (e.g. helping faculty move courses to online instruction and research) are reminded to social distance at least six feet apart with meetings of 10 persons or less, as well as other safety measures.
The Division of HR is maintaining staff-specific COVID-19 updates on Staff HR Page. These resources include frequently asked questions (FAQs) for faculty, staff, and student employees that apply to all of our campuses including Qatar, McAllen, Galveston, and the Health Science Center.
The University will remain open to faculty, staff and students. To support University functions, the Division of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness outlined employee expectations in continuing to fulfill normal job duties:
All employment-related questions concerning the coronavirus, including the use of AWL duty or any type of leave, should be emailed to benefits@tamu.edu. For general guidance from the University, visit the Texas A&M’s coronavirus website.
As posted 3/20/2020:
Modified Service and Service Hours
No more than 30 people per bus
Bus Cleaning
Parking:
Break Parking is in effect until further notice
(Permit or payment is required; refer to the Break Parking Map to see additional authorized areas for permits.)
Short-term parking available for customers without parking permits
Moving In or Out of residence halls
Parking permit returns and refunds
Citation Late Fees and Collections Suspended Until Further Notice
Please handle all Transportation Services business online in My Account.
As posted 3-20-2020:
March 23 – May 10
Classes are online.
With approval, limited graduate classes may continue with in-person instruction if less than 10 students are involved and with adequate accommodations for social distancing.
Final exams will not be taken in person.
April 4 – May 31
March 23 – June 30
Education abroad with departure dates in this range are canceled. This includes May-mesters.
Until Further Notice
Campus facilities should encourage six feet or more social distancing among co-workers as described in the FAQs.
Meetings and social gatherings should be limited to 10 or less per CDC and state guidance through April 3.
No participants from off campus (other than campus community members, such as with RELLIS or agencies) should join in-person meetings on campus, nor should any participants who travel from other states or countries, effective March 13 – April 3.
The Southeastern Conference on March 18 announced that all regular season conference and non-conference competitions are canceled for the remainder of the 2019-20 athletic year, including all remaining SEC championship events, due to continuing developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
In addition, all spring football games are canceled and there will be no pro days conducted by SEC institutions.
Other athletics activities, including team and individual practices, meetings and other organized gatherings, whether required or voluntary, remain suspended through at least April 15.
SEC member institutions will continue to provide their student-athletes with care and support to meet needs in areas including academics, medical care, mental health and wellness, nutrition and housing as needed.
The SEC and its member institutions will continue to communicate with public health officials and medical experts to determine the best path forward related to coronavirus pandemic.
Ticket Refund Information
For the SEC Softball Tournament and the SEC Baseball Tournament, automatic full ticket refunds will be made by March 31 to fans who purchased tickets from the SEC Office or an SEC university.
The Bush Library and Museum is closed effective Saturday, March 14. The National Archives and Records Administration directed all its museums and research rooms nationwide. NARA Staff will continue to serve the public remotely by responding to all phone calls and email requests to info.bush@nara.gov. The Bush Family Gravesite and the museum grounds will continue to be open to the public until further notice.
We will continue to update FAQs and this site as the situation develops and we work to offer guidance and address any continued questions. Additional questions or needs can be routed to the IT Help Desk at (979) 845-8300 who will address issues or locate the correct support personnel.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order March 31 that supersedes the shelter-in-place order previously issued by local government officials. The governor's order is scheduled to expire April 30.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
The Brazos County Health District announced Thursday, April 9, 2020 that a total of 114 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Brazos County and, of those, ten people have been hospitalized, and nine people have passed away. Most are travel-related; the remaining are believed to be community spread.
Of those confirmed cases, none involve a student living on the Texas A&M campus.
Once the virus became a communitywide spread, the Brazos County Health District decided to report only the total number of positive cases rather than include the age of the person and other details.
Current residence hall occupancy at Texas A&M is at about 20 percent of capacity. The current university employee guidance is for everyone — except essential employees — to work from home.
The Texas A&M Student Health Services, located in the A.P. Beutel Health Center on campus, is one of many healthcare providers in Brazos County. As of this Friday, March 27, the SHS has tested a total of 57 individuals. Three have tested positive for COVID-19; 54 have tested negative. All three who tested positive are students who do not live on campus. These statistics from SHS will be updated on Monday of each week.
Several employees also have tested positive and are reflected in the Brazos County data linked above. Positive reports among our employees and students are investigated by the university Environmental Health and Safety Department only for the purpose of determining any other campus community members exposed and/or campus facilities that may require cleaning/disinfection due to the reported positive cases of COVID-19.
To protect their privacy, Texas A&M University legally is not able to release personal information about any students or University community members who are being monitored or tested for novel coronavirus, including their location. When a University community member is diagnosed with COVID-19, the relevant local health department and the University initiate appropriate protocols to protect the health and privacy of anyone deemed to be at risk.
As posted 3-20-2020:
The White House, CDC, and the state of Texas has issued guidance through April 30, 2020:
Social distancing means remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible. Congregate settings include crowded public places where close contact with others may occur, such as shopping centers, movie theaters, stadiums.
Meetings should be conducted virtually whenever possible. If a meeting virtually is not possible, then meeting settings should accommodate distance between participants.
According to the CDC, self-monitoring means people should monitor themselves for fever by taking their temperatures twice a day and remain alert for cough or difficulty breathing. If you feel feverish or develop measured fever, cough, or difficulty breathing during the self-monitoring period, you should self-isolate, limit contact with others, and seek advice by telephone from a healthcare provider. TAMU students may call (979) 458-8310. For after-hours contact/inquiries, call the Dial-a-Nurse program at (979) 458-8379.
To download the CDC Check and Report Every Day (CARE) Booklet which helps you understand how to self-monitor your health and how to check your symptoms daily visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID-19_CAREKit_ENG.pdfIf you are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 and are asked to self-isolate after returning internationally or from a cruise, you should stay off campus and remain home.
Do not go to campus including work, residence halls and apartments, classes, athletic events or other social gatherings until 14 days after returning from international or cruise travel. Likewise, avoid public places and gatherings in the community.
If you need to retrieve belongings from your on campus residence, contact the Department of Residence Life at maggie_guzman@reslife.tamu.edu. If you are a faculty or staff member and need to retrieve items from your office or work space, please coordinate with your supervisor about the best way to retrieve those items without returning to campus.
Please follow these guidelines for self-isolation:
The CDC recommends that everyone should stay home as much as possible.
People with COVID-19 who have stayed home (home isolated) can stop home isolation under the following conditions:
This information can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html.
Older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease are at a higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19. If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease:
At-risk populations should have adequate supplies on hand:
For specific information about conducting research and managing research programs, please visit https://vpr.tamu.edu/covid-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest). Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this occurring with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
Learn more from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.htmlPatients with COVID‑19 have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness. Symptoms can include:
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. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS coronaviruses.
There is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment to protect against COVID-19. People with mild COVID-19 symptoms may experience symptom relief from supportive care measures such as rest and over-the-counter medications for fever and cough. For severe cases, treatment should include care to support vital organ functions. The best way to prevent infection is to take everyday preventive actions, like avoiding close contact with people who are sick and washing your hands often.
The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:
Stay educated on the disease by reading the CDC website. Take care of yourself by doing the following:
A summary of the CDC’s guidelines follows:
Wear disposable gloves (e.g. nitrile or latex) when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Disposable gloves are single-use and should be discarded after each cleaning. If disposable gloves are not available, and reusable gloves (e.g. dishwashing gloves) are used instead, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection of products used. Wash hands with soap and water immediately after gloves are removed.
If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
Focus on disinfecting other commonly touched surfaces such as keyboards/mouse, touchscreens, furniture (e.g. desk chair arms), coffee pot and refrigerator handles, etc.
For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
Diluted household bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
Prepare a bleach solution by mixing:
A list of products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims, maintained by the American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistries (CBC), is available on the Novel Coronavirus Fighting Products list. Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims are expected to be effective against SARS-CoV2. based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.)
For porous surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning:
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been stressful for many people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause a host of emotional responses. Counseling & Psychological Services has compiled a page with ways to care for your mental health during these experiences and provides resources for more help. It also describes feelings and thoughts you may have during and after social distancing and/or self-isolation.
The Office for Diversity has compiled resources for leading change, affinity groups, online reporting for hate/bias incidents, and campus community resources.
As Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity Dr. Robin Coleman wrote, “Your second ‘to-do’ is to spread our Aggie core value of Respect far and wide. Without Respect, fear and ignorance can take hold of our communities. As Aggies, we will not engage in fear-mongering. As Aggies, we embrace our core value of Leadership by modeling affirming behaviors and rejecting bias and discrimination. More, as Aggies, we can show others how to love, support, and protect people on our campus and in our communities from social stigma and discrimination.”
For more information on reducing stigma related to COVID-19, please visit the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/reducing-stigma.html
For specific information about pets and COVID-19, visit the COVID-19 and Animals section of the CDC COVID-19 FAQ
While classes are being held online, the University is still open, including all on-campus residence halls and apartments. We are open for any resident who chooses to continue to live on campus for the remainder of the semester in order to maintain employment, use their dining plan, use wifi and computing labs for completing online coursework, and otherwise have a successful semester.
If you have traveled internationally or on a cruise within the last 14 days, you are required to report that travel through the Report Travel Portal and self-isolate off-campus for 14 days before returning to campus. (See ‘What Does It Mean To Self-Isolate?’ FAQ). We strongly encourage anyone who is self-isolating to limit contact with others, including those living in their residence and pets. Residents who are required to self-isolate are welcome to return to their on-campus residence under the following conditions:
Online Delivery for Summer Courses
All summer courses offered through Texas A&M University in the first, second, and 10-week summer terms (including the May “minimester”) will be delivered online. We had hoped to resume coursework on campus for the second summer session, but with preregistration underway, some uncertainty on the apex of COVID19, and the need for both our students, faculty, and staff to plan, we have decided to move forward with the decision to teach all summer courses online.
As we previously announced, distance education differential tuition will not be charged for online courses this summer at an individual course level for all students in traditional degree programs. For students enrolled in distance education degree programs, there is no change in how they will be charged.
Spring Classes:
Classes are canceled March 16-20. This will enable faculty, staff and student leaders to continue coordinated planning for the remainder of the semester.
Classes will resume online only March 23 – April 28 (the last day of classes).
Face-to-face classes are canceled March 16-20 and classes resume online only March 23 – April 28 (the last day of classes). No assignments, exams or quizzes are permitted until March 23, 2020. Faculty will communicate with students and post a new syllabus. Note that some exceptions are being routed through leadership on a case-by-case basis for small graduate classes to meet in person and that any graduate or professional studies students with questions in these cases can consult their faculty.
For courses that were previously online only.
A determination will be made in the coming weeks about the ability to hold final exams in person, as well as commencement.
The university remains open to faculty, staff and students who choose to be on campus. No undergraduate students are required to be physically on campus but students are permitted to be on campus for services and facility.
Students conducting clinical activities, student teaching, graduate and professional students should consult your respective program leadership for guidance.
.The University has extensive and thorough emergency procedures and is committed to doing everything it can to ensure the health and safety of our community. Because this is a rapidly changing situation, we need to prepare for a range of possibilities, but since Texas A&M University includes health care facilities and other critical operations, it will remain open during the alternative delivery of classes as long as national circumstances with this pandemic make that possible. We continue to encourage all employees who can perform their work remotely to telework as per public health guidance after coordinating with your supervisor.
Students are permitted to return home if that is an option, but students are not required to leave campus at this time. Our residence halls will remain available to students who need to reside on campus. All students who remain on campus are encouraged practice social distancing. For those who do live on or near campus and wish to access campus services, modified operations will be in place that minimize in-person interaction and/or will be operated remotely. The University will assist in limiting the potential spread of COVID-19 on our campuses, including more frequent and extensive cleaning of areas in student use (residence halls, computer labs) and other approaches.
Texas A&M leadership from across the university is meeting regularly to discuss and review the rapidly evolving situation regarding the spread of the coronavirus, now known as COVID-19. Texas A&M has activated its emergency operations plan and convened its response team to coordinate preparedness and response activities. Members of the team continue to closely monitor the situation, relying on local and state health officials, as well as members of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, Centers for Disease and Preparedness and the World Health Organization to ensure a consistent and coordinated response. The university is coordinating with the Texas A&M University System and other intuitions of higher education to ensure that issues related to campus communities are appropriately addressed. We would like to remind the community to practice good hygiene to lower the risk of becoming ill.
The university will continue to address questions and concerns through regular communications and additions to the FAQ section of this page.
Campus departments are working to help ensure the safety of the campus environment: everything from expanded distribution and placement of hand sanitizers to enhanced disinfection and cleaning procedures of common areas. Communications have gone out to faculty, staff and students emphasizing the importance of handwashing and staying home when ill.
SSC has instituted enhanced cleaning practices to minimize the spread of flu and COVID-19 viruses throughout campus buildings, specifically addressing commonly used areas and fixtures (e.g., door knobs, stairway bannisters, elevators). However, if faculty or staff wish to supplement these efforts within their offices or shared spaces, EPA-registered products should be selected preferentially to ensure effective disinfection. The CDC has published interim guidelines for environmental cleaning and disinfection. Note label instructions on disinfection products to ensure concentration, contact time, and application methods are appropriate for the product being used.
Residence Life is taking proactive steps to reduce exposure within each of the Texas A&M residential communities. These efforts include:
As posted 3-20-2020:
April 4 – May 31
Texas A&M has created a mandatory reporting portal for all students, faculty and staff traveling internationally or on a cruise. Individuals returning from travel are required to self-isolate off campus for 14 days prior to returning to campus.
Until further notice, university-sponsored domestic and foreign travel is suspended unless the travel is deemed mission critical. All such proposed domestic and foreign travel requests must be submitted through Concur so the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance can conduct an assessment before making a recommendation to the Office of the Provost. Final approval is required prior to departure, therefore, requests should be submitted at least five (5) business days before the proposed travel to enable completion of the review and approval process. Additionally, it is advised that no funds are paid on planned travel prior to final approval being granted. Contact Jason Boyle (jboyle@tamu.edu) with the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance with any questions. Additionally, the university strongly discourages international travel and domestic air travel outside of Texas.
All Texas A&M University-sponsored education abroad programs that were scheduled to depart on or before Aug 3, 2020, have been canceled.
The White House, CDC, and state of Texas has issued travel guidance through April 30, 2020:
The Texas A&M University System has issued travel guidance through May 31st:
In addition per Gov. Abott’s executive order on March 27th, if you recently travelled from the New York Tri-State area or New Orleans, you should:
CDC provides travel notices and makes recommendations on postponing or canceling travel. These are called travel notices and are based on assessment of the potential health risks involved with traveling to a certain area. A list of destinations with travel notices is available at on the CDC website travel page. In addition, CDC now recommends that travelers defer all cruise travel worldwide. Cruise travelers should stay home for 14 days after returning from travel, monitor their health, and practice social distancing.
If you have traveled internationally or on a cruise within the last 14 days, you are required to report that travel through the Report Travel Portal and self-isolate off-campus for 14 days before returning to campus. (See ‘What Does It Mean To Self -Isolate?’ FAQ).
As posted 3-18-2020:
Any faculty, staff or students returning from international travel or from a cruise should self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival into the United States before returning for campus. Self-isolation guidance is listed on this page and on the CDC Care Guide. This travel should also be reported on the travel reporting portal.
If you have traveled internationally or on a cruise within the last 14 days, you are required to report that travel through the Report Travel Portal. You will also be required to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to campus. (See ‘What Does It Mean To Self Isolate?’ FAQ). You should continue to be vigilant about monitoring yourself for fever and lower respiratory symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath. However, not all affected individuals will exhibit all symptoms, and if you have any symptoms at all, call a healthcare provider or Student Health Services if you are a student.
Students, faculty and staff who travel internationally or on a cruise — whether for personal or university business — are required to register with the university regarding that travel before leaving or immediately upon return at the Report Travel Portal. International or cruise travellers will also be required to self-isolate off-campus for 14 days before returning to campus. This includes not returning to your on-campus residence hall or on-campus apartment (See ‘What does it mean to self-isolate’ FAQ).
Until further notice, university-sponsored domestic and foreign travel is suspended unless the travel is deemed mission critical. The university recommends that individuals strongly consider the risks of personal travel internationally, as this situation continues to evolve. Students, faculty, and staff who travel internationally or on a cruise — whether for personal or university business — are required to register with the university regarding that travel before leaving or immediately upon return at the Report Travel Portal and are required to self-isolate off campus for 14 days before returning to campus.
Upon return to the United States, register your travel in the Travel Portal regardless whether the travel was personal or business related.
Individuals returning from international travel or from a cruise should follow CDC guidelines by self-isolating at their family home or off-campus residence for 14 days. Should symptoms occur, seek immediate medical attention. Please notify Education Abroad at ea-covid19@tamu.edu if you are returning from a Texas A&M-sponsored education abroad program.
If you have travelled and start to feel sick with fever, a cough, or difficulty breathing, within 14 days after you left, you should do the following:
If you are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 and are asked to self-isolate after returning internationally or from a cruise, you should stay off campus and remain home.
Do not go to campus including work, residence halls and apartments, classes, athletic events or other social gatherings until 14 days after returning from international or cruise travel. Likewise, avoid public places and gatherings in the community.
If you need to retrieve belongings from your on campus residence, contact the Department of Residence Life at maggie_guzman@reslife.tamu.edu. If you are a faculty or staff member and need to retrieve items from your office or work space, please coordinate with your supervisor about the best way to retrieve those items without returning to campus.
Please follow these guidelines for self-isolation:
The following measures regarding Texas A&M University camps and programs for minors are effective immediately:
Making the decision to limit opportunities for potential future Aggies to experience the many wonderful things Texas A&M has to offer was very difficult, and we are diligently making informed decisions with sincere consideration for their impact on individuals and the broader community. Thank you for your attention and continued flexibility as we navigate this unprecedented season together.
Note: Events not subject to camps and programs for minors regulations will follow the current COVID-19 protocols for Texas A&M University which can be found at www.tamu.edu
All summer courses offered through Texas A&M University in the first, second, and 10-week summer terms (including the May “minimester”) will be delivered online. We had hoped to resume coursework on campus for the second summer session, but with preregistration underway, some uncertainty on the apex of COVID19, and the need for both our students, faculty, and staff to plan, we have decided to move forward with the decision to teach all summer courses online.
As we previously announced, distance education differential tuition will not be charged for online courses this summer at an individual course level for all students in traditional degree programs. For students enrolled in distance education degree programs, there is no change in how they will be charged.
We continue to work with colleges to ensure that the university offers a robust schedule of summer coursework to ensure that students can make progress toward their degrees.
As a reminder, please consult the main Texas A&M University COVID-19 website for regular updates, as well as keeplearning.tamu.edu.
Spring graduation ceremonies will be postponed. The university is planning mail delivery of diplomas to graduates (with normal shipping costs waived) and is also considering opportunities for in-person ceremony options later this summer for those May graduates wishing to do so. There is no impact at this time to August in-person graduation ceremonies.
Final exams will not be taken in person. Online testing and other mechanisms for the assessment of student learning are under consideration in collaboration with college deans and faculty and will be announced in the near future.
Yes. The Texas A&M administration announced Saturday, March 21 that temporary changes to grading, Q-drop and withdrawal deadlines were recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and approved by President Michael K. Young. Details are outlined in this message.
Students now can choose Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading for any course in which they are enrolled in the spring semester 2020. Students have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 28 to make changes to their grading options. Additional guidance to students on how to opt-in to S/U grading will be provided next week. This may not be applicable to students in first professional degree programs who should contact their program for grading information.
The Q-drop and Withdrawal deadline has been extended to 5 p.m. Friday, April 24. Q-drops after Spring Break will not count toward the institutional limit of four, nor the state limit on drops.
Any student considering the change from graded to S/U grading may need to consult with an advisor to understand the implications on future plans, including progress toward a degree or financial aid.
Students who are faced with financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis can apply for financial assistance using the Emergency Aid Application found at https://financialaid.tamu.edu/Emergency-Aid. Please detail the reason for your request including circumstances such as being unable to return to your on-campus employment, expenses associated with self-quarantine, costs associated with online instruction, or other COVID-19 related circumstances leading to financial distress will be considered. Documentation should be attached. Funds are limited, every request may not be funded or fully-funded.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid sharing food, beverages, and utensils. Avoid close contact with those who may be ill. Stay home when you are sick or have flu symptoms. Cover cough/sneeze with a tissue or cough/sneeze into your elbow. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects or surfaces. Get your annual flu shot.
To make arrangements to have someone retrieve belongings from your on-campus residence, contact the Maggie Guzman with the Department of Residence Life at maggie_guzman@reslife.tamu.edu
While classes are being held online, the University is still open, including all on-campus residence halls and apartments. We are open for any resident who chooses to continue to live on campus for the remainder of the semester in order to maintain employment, use their dining plan, use wifi and computing labs for completing online coursework, and otherwise have a successful semester.
Residents who have traveled to a Level 3 CDC Travel country are required to report their travel and self-isolate off-campus for 14 days prior to returning to their on-campus residence. We strongly encourage anyone who is self-isolating to limit contact with others, including those living in their residence and pets. Residents who are required to self-isolate are welcome to return to their room or apartment after completing their 14-day isolation period with no symptoms of coronavirus.
For those in need of housing, you may remain in on-campus housing and should be prepared to shelter in place if the order follows for our College Station and/or Galveston campuses. We will of course continue dining take-out, medical and other essential services. Meanwhile, academic affairs support has already moved online.
UPDATE: 5:15 p.m., March 23
Brazos County, along with the cities of Bryan and College Station, ordered a shelter in place requirement for people to remain at their residence starting at 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 24. This does not preclude students from leaving campus to travel home. Shelter in place asks for people to keep a distance from others. For example, residents can walk or exercise outside, but should remain 6 feet apart. County and city officials are urging everyone to stay home unless they have essential business to take care of outside their residence. The order does allow for people to do minimal errands, including going to the grocery store, getting gas or picking up food from take-out. Regardless, people should keep 6 feet apart when out in public. Read the full order here.
On-campus students choosing to depart may utilize an "Express Check-Out" option with Residence Life to allow for an orderly move of belongings. Students who have been dwelling in their family homes but retained on-campus housing and wish to check out may also coordinate with Residence Life on arranging to pick up belongings at some point this semester.
The Texas A&M System is reviewing dining and housing credit or refund options, and will provide guidance in the near future.
As long as you have not traveled internationally within the last 14 days and are symptom-free, you may come to campus any time to remove your belongings and return your key. Please practice responsible social distancing while on campus moving out, including not crowding in groups of more than ten in lobbies and a maximum of two people in an elevator at one time.
Residence Halls & White Creek Apartments
Cancel your housing contract online (click “Request Forms”). If you are unable to do this online, email your name, UIN, a request to cancel and the date you wish to check out to housing@tamu.edu.
Return your Room KEY
Once you have removed your belongings and cleaned out your room/apartment, place your key in a KEY ENVELOPE, fill out the information on the outside of the envelope, and drop it in the key dropbox.
Key Envelopes & Key Dropbox Locations
Corps Dorms
Cadets wishing to cancel their housing for the remainder of the semester should complete an in-hall cancellation form, remove their belongings from their room, place their key in a key envelope and drop the envelope and cancellation form in the dropbox located in the laundry room. In-hall cancellation forms and key envelopes can be found in laundry rooms next to the drop boxes. If there are no forms left, email housing@tamu.edu with your name, UIN, a request to cancel and the date you wish to check out.
Gardens Apartments
Gardens residents wishing to cancel their housing contract should remove all of their belongings from the apartment, fill out and print a cancellation form, tape their key to it, and drop it in the key dropbox near the north entrance of the Gardens Community Center.
Housing Refunds
If you have not turned in your room/apartment key and you have not required to self-isolate, you are welcome to return to your room whenever you choose to, whether to remove belongings or to stay. If you have not canceled your contract and returned your key, you can come and go as you did before spring break.
It is important to remember that this is cold and flu season, and regardless of an individual’s travel history, coughs and other upper-respiratory symptoms are much more likely to be signs of a bad cold or seasonal influenza than the new coronavirus. You can protect yourself in the same ways you would normally do to avoid getting sick:
The university has received questions from student workers, especially those needing to work to cover expenses. Student workers are permitted to work in person on campus provided that the department for which they work implements appropriate social distancing requirements and other safety measures. We recommend that departments be creative in identifying mechanisms to allow student workers to work remotely with the provision that appropriate duties can be assigned and that the department has mechanisms in place to monitor that work.
Student workers should contact their supervisor regarding their ability to work. Students feeling ill should not come to work and should self-monitor and seek medical care if needed. Students not ill and not wishing to work in person will not be required to do so and will continue to be paid only if remote work is a possibility per above and approved by their supervisor. If students are unable to work in person or remotely, the student will not be paid. Departments are encouraged to provide as much flexibility regarding duties as feasible.
While self-isolation is considered a University Excused Absence (Student Rule 7), students are encouraged to keep up with any class activities that can be completed away from campus, especially if they have no or mild symptoms. However, you are required to stay away from campus during your self-isolation period. If you attempt to attend class sessions in person during your isolation period, your instructor will temporarily remove you from class (Student Rule 21).
To keep up with your classes and other on-campus activities, we recommend you take the following actions as soon as your self-isolation begins:
If you are a member of one of the remote campuses mentioned above, please contact your campus administration for specific questions related to your campus.
No. Effective Thursday, March 19, the rec center was closed after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all gyms in Texas be shut down pending the outcome of the virus.
Although all Rec Sports facilities are closed at this time, there are several opportunities to continue your workout remotely with us!
Visit the Rec's coronavirus page for the latest updates
As always, follow the Rec on Twitter (@RecSports), Instagram (@RecSports) and Facebook (TAMURecSports) to keep up to date on activities.
Texas A&M University provides many tools to help you work off campus. Many of these resources require advance preparation, and we encourage you to learn how to use these resources now. Please work directly with your supervisor and departmental IT staff for resources and needs specific to your area.
The University will remain open to faculty, staff and students. In order to support University functions, employees will be expected to continue fulfilling their normal job duties remotely. If remote work is not possible for employees otherwise able to work but are not able to report to their normal work location, emergency leave is then recommended in accordance with System Regulation 31.03.03, section 2.5.2. This may include employees who are unable to report to their normal work location because of the need to care for dependent children where schools or daycare facilities have closed.
For more information about emergency leave visit https://employees.tamu.edu/benefits/leave/emergency/
For specific information about HR policies and leave associated with COVID-19 visit the Employment-Related Information Concerning the Coronavirus website.If you are a faculty or staff member and need to retrieve items from your office or work space, please coordinate with your supervisor about the best way to retrieve those items without returning to campus.
For specific information about HR policies and leave associated with COVID-19 visit the Employment-Related Information Concerning the Coronavirus website.
If you know of a student who has a known or suspected positive COVID-19 infection, please contact the Office of the Dean of Student Life at studentlife@tamu.edu or by phone at 979-845-3111.
If you are a member of one of the remote campuses mentioned above, please contact your campus administration for specific questions related to your campus.
No. Effective Thursday, March 19, the rec center was closed after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all gyms in Texas be shut down pending the outcome of the virus.
Although all Rec Sports facilities are closed at this time, there are several opportunities to continue your workout remotely with us!
Visit the Rec's coronavirus page for the latest updates
As always, follow the Rec on Twitter (@RecSports), Instagram (@RecSports) and Facebook (TAMURecSports) to keep up to date on activities.
A few easy things we can all do include:
Texas A&M will continue to work with federal, state and local officials to monitor potential risks. If conditions change, we will update our campus community. You can find updated information about COVID-19 disease activity and recommendations at these sites:
Please check A&M Student Health Services website for updated information:
