Dear TU community,
Thank you for doing your part to make an on-campus college experience possible at The University of Tulsa this fall. From participating in regular testing to embracing virtual learning environments, it is clear that students want to be here and are willing to follow the necessary precautions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Your efforts paid off, and we succeeded in keeping our campus open with an average weekly COVID-19 positivity rate of just 2.2% through the fall semester.
We know, however, that our challenges are not behind us and that the pandemic is not over. It is anticipated that cases will continue to rise in the Tulsa community throughout the winter break and into the spring semester. While there is promising news of an effective vaccine on the horizon, it will not be widely available for several more months. As such, in order to position us for a successful spring semester, we will spend the first two weeks (Jan. 19-29) in remote classes. During this Winter Wellness period, students returning from winter break to live in the residence halls will be able to move into their private rooms. Students will take a COVID-19 test as a part of their return to campus process. McFarlin Library, computer labs, study lounges, dining services and Collins Fitness Center will be open, but all coursework will be virtual prior to Feb. 1. Students living on campus will be encouraged to stay on campus, and students studying from home will be encouraged to stay at home as much as possible during our Winter Wellness. All students, including those on campus, will experience virtual-only co-curricular/extracurricular activities in January.
Beginning Feb. 1, we plan to return to in-person and hybrid classes and expand in-person activities that adhere to our COVID-19 protocols and maintain as safe an environment as possible. Our student success team is working on a robust calendar of events to make the spring semester active and engaging. In the coming week, students will hear more about our plans – including fun, new virtual events that will be scheduled for January.
Students with health concerns who wish to enroll in remote-only learning for spring 2021 are encouraged to work with their academic advisor to create a schedule that meets their needs.
If you have any questions, please email covid19@utulsa.edu and a staff member will respond as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Matt Warren
Vice President for Risk Management and Chief Compliance Officer