[VPAAEtal] Faculty Return to Campus

[Academic Affairs]

Dear Faculty,

I hope you enjoyed a well-deserved winter break. We are excited to welcome you back to campus and our extended university sites for the spring semester! Please be aware that our classes will begin as scheduled.

Your health and safety remain a top priority, and we are making every effort to maintain a healthy learning environment at A&M-Commerce. Along with those efforts, we also intend to offer the best educational experiences possible to our students.

Daily cases of the Omicron variant in Northeast Texas are increasing. While questions remain, several expert projections suggest that Omicron will spike and then potentially begin receding by the end of January. In response, we are taking steps to minimize the spread of the virus.


Please note:


*         In-person classes: will be taught on campus and extended university sites, as scheduled - i.e., classes that are scheduled to be face to face will be taught in-person. However, due to unavoidable international travel situations, a few professors teaching face-to-face courses may need to conduct classes online during the first week (Jan. 12-14 only). Any faculty member who plans to offer online instruction during the first week of an in-person course, please inform your students as early as possible via email.

  *   Masks and hand sanitizer: will be available to you at locations across campus and other instructional sites. Please remember, we can encourage students to wear masks in the classroom but we cannot mandate it.

*         On-campus testing for COVID-19:

o    All faculty are required to participate in a COVID-19 testing program within the first week of their physical return to any instructional site. You may test at a community site of your choice or at an on-campus site. Information on how to find a testing site close to you can be found at https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/community-based-testing-sites/index.html. The Commerce campus will provide free walk-up rapid COVID-19 tests. Dates, location(s), and times of testing services are currently being determined and will soon be posted at Stay Healthy Lions<http://tamuc.edu/stay-healthy-lions>.

*         COVID-19 testing by appointment:

o    Our excellent Student Health Center offers COVID-19 testing by appointment. To make an appointment, complete the consent form for testing<https://dms.tamuc.edu/Forms/Privacy?_ga=2.257520973.775497002.1641224318-1268193177.1636995152> and then book an appointment at Free COVID-19 Testing<https://tamus.curativeinc.com/welcome>.

*         EOC and CDC guidance:

o    As a reminder, anyone testing positive is required to notify the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at eoc at tamuc.edu for guidance. The CDC has recently modified their guidelines surrounding quarantine and isolation for those who test positive for COVID-19. The Texas A&M University System, based on new CDC recommendations, has provided guidelines<https://www.tamuc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/COVID-19-Guideline-Changes.pdf> regarding quarantine and isolation.

*         Free COVID-19 vaccination clinics: are held locally. Please consider getting a vaccination or booster. Visit vaccines.gov<http://vaccines.gov/> to find a location near you.
Together, we can promote a healthy learning environment and enjoy a successful Spring 2022 semester. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to eoc at tamuc.edu<mailto:eoc at tamuc.edu>. Thank you for your continued flexibility and commitment to excellence in the face of these unique challenges.


John Humphreys, Provost and VPAA

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