Monitoring the Coronavirus

Updated: July 15, 2021

Fall Term 2021 Opening Plans

Austin College intends to move forward with plans for in-person learning, living, and enjoying the full college experience in Fall Term 2021. All classes will be in person, with no online options. Specific details about the safe return to campus will be shared by email when they are confirmed.

At this time, the College is not requiring COVID-19 vaccines but strongly encourages all eligible members of the community to be fully vaccinated before the start of school. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations take 5 to 6 weeks to be fully effective. We will continue to evaluate conditions as time progresses and as more information becomes available.

In the meantime, Austin College will maintain health and safety protocols for anyone who is on campus at this time.

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Information for Campus Visitors

Submit Your Vaccine Record

Please direct inquiries to vicepresident@austincollege.edu.

COVID Dashboard

Mobile App | Visitor Info | Resources | COVID Dashboard | Submit Your Vaccine Record

Midsummer Updates

Effective July 15, 2021, masks are optional and are no longer required indoors or outdoors on the Austin College campus for those who are vaccinated against COVID. If you are unvaccinated or have concerns, we recommend you continue with masking and safe distancing. There may be specific situations or particular locations where masks will be required of everyone, such as in laboratories. You will be instructed by the faculty member, supervisor, or host when to wear a mask. Thank you for your respectful cooperation. It’s a good idea to always have a mask with you.

The mask optional protocol is consistent with CDC guidelines for those who are vaccinated and extends to campus visitors. We will continue to monitor vaccination rates for the campus and virus positivity rates in the area. We are also monitoring health guidelines and recommendations of local, state, and federal health authorities and will adjust as needed.

While we do not require COVID vaccinations for Fall Term 2021, we continue to recommend the COVID vaccine and also encourage those who have been vaccinated to submit a vaccination record. While this is not required, this confidential data helps inform us of health and safety conditions and helps guide our campus protocols. Submit your COVID vaccination records. Those who submit a vaccination record are exempt from routine COVID testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

MASKING

Do I need to wear a mask on campus?

Effective July 15, 2021, masks are optional and are no longer required indoors or outdoors on the Austin College campus for those who are vaccinated against COVID. If you are unvaccinated or have concerns, we recommend you continue with masking and safe distancing. There may be specific situations or particular locations where masks will be required of everyone, such as in laboratories. You will be instructed by the faculty member, supervisor, or host when to wear a mask.
Thank you for your respectful cooperation. It’s a good idea to always have a mask with you.
The mask optional protocol is consistent with CDC guidelinesfor those who are vaccinated and extends to campus visitors. We will continue to monitor vaccination rates for the campus and virus positivity rates in the area. We are also monitoring health guidelines and recommendations of local, state, and federal health authorities and will adjust as needed.
While we do not require COVID vaccination for Fall Term 2021, we continue to encourage vaccination and also encourage those who have been vaccinated to submit a vaccination record. While this is not required, this confidential data helps to inform us of health and safety conditions and helps guide our campus protocols. COVID vaccination records can be submitted here. Those who submit a vaccination record are exempt from routine COVID testing.

Will visitors need to register and wear a mask?

Effective June 1, 2021, visitor registration is no longer required.
We encourage visitors who have not been vaccinated to wear a mask while on campus. There may be specific situations or particular locations where masks will be required of everyone, such as in laboratories. Visitor hosts will inform their guests of any health or safety protocols.
Buildings will remain card-access only, visitors will need to check in with their host for access to buildings.

VACCINE & TESTING

Is the COVID-19 vaccine required on the Austin College campus?

Do I still need the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19?

The CDC recommends the vaccination even if you’ve already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have recovered from COVID-19, it is possible—although rare you could be infected again.
Recovering from a COVID-19 infection means you will have antibodies in your system. Natural antibodies vary from person to person, but with the vaccination we know that people with healthy immune systems are getting a great antibody response.
Studies have shown that vaccination provides a strong boost in protection in people who have recovered from COVID-19. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected.

Will there be random COVID-19 testing in the fall?

Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Is COVID-19 testing provided on campus?

Are there costs for COVID-19 testing?

Although there is no cost to the tested individual, if insurance is available, the cost of the test will be borne by the insurance company (in the case of Austin College employees, the college picks up the cost of the test).
There are no fees required at the time of testing.
The testing agency will request information on your insurance provider for billing purposes. Whether you will be billed for any out of pocket costs will depend on your insurance provider and your coverage options.
If you do not have insurance, COVID-19 testing will be provided at no cost to you.

What if I need to miss class or work for testing?

ACADEMICS

What are the plans regarding on-campus living and learning for Fall Term 2021?

Austin College intends to move forward with plans for in-person learning, living, and enjoying the full college experience in Fall Term 2021.
Courses will be delivered face-to-face, with the expectation that students will be physically present in the classroom for all class sessions.
Remote delivery (with students in the classroom and connecting remotely via Zoom) will be discontinued as a standard practice for all courses after July 31, 2021.
The video capture of course sessions, which was instituted to address COVID contingencies, will no longer occur. As has always been the case, exceptions due to extenuating circumstances can be made by your individual faculty.
Students who seek accommodations or technology-facilitated adaptations to address documented learning style differences or disabilities should connect with the Austin College’s Academic Skills Center at lramsey@austincollege.edu or 903.813.2454.

STUDENT LIFE & DINING SERVICES

How will dining services be kept safe?

Capacity limits will be in place to facilitate physical distancing for those who are unvaccinated.
The dining hall will be closed for one hour between meal times in the afternoon to allow time for the surfaces to be sanitized.
Hand sanitizer stations are located at the entrance and throughout the dining hall. Everyone is encouraged to sanitize their hands often.
Austin College and Aramark, our partners in food service, reserve the right to adjust the program as needed and in response to any guidance provided by governing agencies and/or the CDC.

Are visitors allowed in the dining hall?

If I don’t have a meal plan, can I pay cash in the dining hall?

May I bring reusable food containers to the Dining Hall?

How will groups or organizations meet?

What about gathering off campus?

Austin College will not formally approve or conduct off-campus gatherings during the Fall 2021 semester.
To the extent the College is informed and has authority over a student or a group/organization, knowingly disregarding the stated health and safety protocols will be considered a violation of the Non-Academic Code of Student Conduct published in The Environment.
The College will take all opportunities to educate students about complying with health and safety guidelines while in informal/non-approved activities off campus and not under the College’s purview.

ATHLETICS

What is the status of 'Roo Athletic teams?

Will spectators be allowed at games and practices?

The status and expectations of participants and spectators are still being reviewed by the Athletic Director and Presidents Councils of all conferences we are affiliated with. The health and safety of the participants will be the top priority for all NCAA activities and competitions.
At this time, all sports will be played during their traditional seasons (fall, winter and spring). However, all protocol for practices and events are still being reviewed.
Please check acroos.com for any updates.

QUARANTINE and ISOLATION Definitions

Isolation

Quarantine

Close Contact

A close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes with or without a mask. An infected (symptomatic or asymptomatic) person can spread COVID-19 starting 48 hours (2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19. Someone who is identified as a close contact would be required by Austin College Health Services to quarantine.
What qualifies as close contact? For example, roommates, study group seated closely at one table, someone seated less than 6 feet away from a classmate, unmasked friends on an outdoor swing for a long conversation.
What does NOT qualify as close contact? For example, passing in the hall, sitting across the classroom, a brief conversation while outdoors and masked, being in class or participating in activities where everyone is masked and practicing social distancing.

Monitoring the Coronavirus

Fall Term 2021 Opening Plans

Midsummer Updates

Frequently Asked Questions

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