Students

Face Coverings (Optional)

All unvaccinated members of the SHSU community are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings when indoors in public spaces. Those who are fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings indoors in public spaces during periods of "substantial" or "high" transmission.

Vaccine/Testing

  • Vaccines will continue to be offered at the Student Health Center throughout Fall ’21 semester
  • Free symptomatic and asymptomatic testing and rapid testing will continue to be offered at the Student Health Center

Course-Relevant Information

Classrooms

Masks will not be required in classrooms, but they are encouraged. Those who are unvaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings when indoors in public spaces, and those who are fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings indoors in public spaces during periods of "substantial" or "high" transmission, per CDC guidelines.

Instructor Office Hours

Office hours remain an important resource for student success. This semester, instructors may hold office hours either face-to-face or remotely via Zoom. Talk to your instructors and consult your course syllabi for specific times and locations.

Positive Case Exposure or Illness

If you test positive for the virus or feel sick, we strongly encourage you to report it using the “Report Your Positive Case/Exposure” portal on the COVID-19 page, get a free test at the Student Health Center, and stay home until you are no longer contagious.

Faculty Illness

Should an instructor be diagnosed with COVID-19, it is the decision of the faculty member and the department chair to determine how to continue the course.

Absences

COVID-19 related absences for illness, self-isolation, or quarantine will be treated as any other medical absence, which means your instructors may require a doctor’s note to excuse the absence or allow you to make up missed work. Reach out to the Student Health Center if you have had close contact with a person who tests positive and need to quarantine or self-isolate. If confirmed by the health center, they can provide you with the medical documentation needed. In addition, if you complete the Absence Notification Request Form, the Dean of Students’ Office will notify your instructors of your absence.

Remote Learning

Unlike last year, face-to-face courses will not all be available via remote instruction. This decision to provide a remote instruction option on a short-term basis is at the discretion of each instructor. If you must stay home due to COVID-19 exposure or illness, ask your instructor whether remote instruction is an option they provide.

Classroom Preventative Maintenance

Air Filtration Upgrades*

  • Existing HVAC equipment that could support MERV-15/15a filters were upgraded to this level of filtration;
  • Existing HVAC equipment which could not be upgraded to use MERV-15/15a filters were upgraded with a combination of MERV 9 filters and UVC light; or
  • Stand-alone HEPA filtration units were installed in densely occupied spaces.

*These options are 90 percent effective in filtering out particles the size of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Plexiglass Barriers (Optional)

Each classroom will have a plexiglass barrier for optional use by faculty members.

Housing

Fall 2021

Residence halls will be open for Fall 2021 move-in by appointment on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 13 through 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All students moving into on-campus residences must complete a COVID-19 agreement prior to receiving their key to ensure they understand and comply with new guidelines and procedures.

International Students

  • The university recommends that students travelling from outside of the U.S. follow CDC recommendations for travel
  • Testing should be with a viral PCR test
  • Students may contact the Student Health Center for questions about testing or quarantine 936-294-1805

COVID-Related Accommodations – Students

  • All students are encouraged to be fully vaccinated before the start of the Fall semester.
  • Students should not expect faculty members to offer a remote option for courses during the Fall semester.
  • Any student asked to isolate or quarantine because of COVID-related illness or precaution will follow the same process in place for absences related to other illnesses.
  • Student Health Center/Case Management Team will provide students with the necessary documentation after a confirmed positive test result/exposure.
  • Students who are unable to receive the vaccine due to a legitimate medical issue may request accommodations via the current process for student ADA requests.

Student Events

  • Pre-COVID event approval processes are now in effect.