Dear Graduate Students:

Recently, Interim President Jay Hartzell announced the university’s plan for the fall semester as well as the Protect Texas website with additional information and resources to help students navigate the pandemic.

While the plan seeks to adapt to the rapidly evolving circumstances of COVID-19, I know that many of you remain concerned about the rise of the virus in Texas and the uncertainty surrounding the fall semester.

Please know that the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff are the most-important priorities guiding the university’s approach, and we will adjust to the evolving circumstances. I will continue to advocate for the needs of graduate students during these difficult times.

Below are some updates on policies and resources for graduate students as we approach the fall semester.

International Students

As announced last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has withdrawn its July 6, 2020 guidance that would have prohibited F-1 international students in the U.S. from enrolling in or switching mid-semester to an all-online program of study during the fall.

We have learned that universities will be allowed to revert to the March 9, 2020 DHS guidance allowing “international students to take multiple online courses as a temporary accommodation that would remain in effect ‘for the duration of the emergency.’" Continuing F-1 international students will be able to enroll this fall in the instructional mode that best meets their needs (in-person, hybrid, online) and maintain their status in the United States.

Additionally, this announcement gives the university more flexibility to adjust to changes in the prevalence of COVID-19 and better ensure the health and safety of our students and community. Texas Global will continue to communicate additional information as it arises. You may monitor their Stay Informed page for updated information on immigration compliance.

I know that this has been a difficult few weeks for many international students, who have been struggling to find answers and the best path forward for completing their studies. I thank you for your continued patience. Please know that we will do everything we can to support the international community on campus and your tremendous contributions to the university’s mission.

Academic Employee Accommodations

Some graduate students have expressed concerns for their health and safety during the fall semester, including concerns related to their roles as GAs, AIs and TAs. The Graduate School has been working with colleges, schools and departments to ensure that graduate student course modality preferences are closely considered as fall classes are scheduled.

The Office of the Provost and Graduate School have asked colleges, schools and departments to make the following accommodations for academic employees:

Be as flexible as possible when scheduling classes to accommodate graduate students’ preferences for online or in-person classes.
Designate a point-of-contact—such as a graduate coordinator or HR professional within each department—who can work with students and primary instructors on accommodation requests.
Assign TA and AI roles early to ensure they have adequate time to prepare for the modality of instruction.

Graduate students already assigned to courses are encouraged to first contact the primary instructor to request accommodations. Students not yet assigned to courses should first contact their departmental point-of-contact.

Students who qualify for health accommodations under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) or who fall in a high-risk group (as defined by the Health and Wellness working group guidelines) should contact the university’s ADA coordinators if an agreement cannot be reached between the student and the department. ADA coordinators will contact the student’s department to discuss the request. More information about the university’s employee accommodation process can be found on their website.

Students with household members in high-risk groups (as defined by Health and Wellness working group guidelines) should include a note about the individual(s) when requesting accommodations from their departments in order to provide context for the request.

Additionally, many GRAs have health and safety concerns about returning to labs to conduct research. We have asked programs and principal investigators to look for ways to work with GRAs to help address their concerns about these issues leading up to the fall semester.

For students working as AIs and TAs, the Faculty Innovation Center (FIC) continues to provide resources to help graduate students teach online and support remote learning. I encourage you to visit the FIC website and learn more.

Upcoming Events & Resources

July 23. Navigating the Virtual Interview within Industry, Nonprofit & Government for Graduate Students. A workshop to learn about the variety of ways interviews can take place virtually, what to expect, how to create a sense of connection electronically and tips to make your interview seamless.
July 23. Green Energy 101: Opportunities in the renewable energy sector. A talk about opportunities in the renewable sector with Tim Gavrilovic, co-founder of AmpUp.

I will continue to provide updates leading up to the fall semester with new announcements and resources for graduate students.

Sincerely,

MARK J. T. SMITH
Dean of the Graduate School
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin

This communication is from Graduate Students – Official.
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The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | 78712 US