University of Texas moving classes online for remainder of semester

For the remainder of the spring semester, the University of Texas at Austin appears to be moving classes to online only starting March 30.

According to an official release from the University of Texas-Austin on March 17, the school will be making adjustments to classes based on precautions due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The university will be moving to online classes only starting on March 30, once the school returns to session from the extended spring break.

That official release from the university says that students are likely not to return to campus in Austin for the remainder of the spring semester “unless there is a specific need”.

What the implications are for that for the Texas Longhorns athletic department is unclear yet. But the first precaution is always making sure that all the people already on campus, and associated directly with the school, are taken out of harms way in the midst of this pandemic.

Here’s what the release from the school had specifically to say on the matter.

"I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all staff and faculty members who are sacrificing greatly for the health, well-being and safety of our university community — especially health care workers, police officers, residence hall and janitorial staff members, IT staff members and many more. I am grateful for your service and selflessness.This decision today will create new challenges for many of our students, specifically regarding the completion of courses and credit (especially for students intending to graduate this year), housing, the retrieval of personal items from university residence halls and access to technology away from campus. Our goal is for all students to complete the courses they are registered for during the spring 2020 semester. I am directing faculty members, deans and university leaders to work to accommodate student needs throughout these difficult times."

This release from the school came specifically from the university’s president Gregory Fenves.

This news from Fenves and the university came just two days after he posted on his Twitter timeline about his wife, Carmel, testing positive for COVID-19. He is apparently in self-isolation (per his post on Twitter) after that positive test.

Moreover, a lot of universities seem to be making this move to online classes only if they can help it. A lot of the United States is going on near-lockdown to try and contain the spread of COVID-19. Austin, Dallas, and Houston are all making similar moves to try and contain the spread around the state of Texas.

For more information on COVID-19, you can visit the CDC’s website.