January 25, 2022

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Dear Faculty, Students and Staff,

Thank you for your collective efforts in making the soft opening of the spring semester a success. The past few weeks have been uncertain at times, but you accepted the challenge with fortitude and made it work.  

Return to Regular Classes Jan. 31: After careful consideration of various aspects and upon the recommendation of the UH COVID Committee, the decision is to end the soft opening and resume regular class format on Monday, January 31, as scheduled.  While there are increasing signs that the Omicron surge in Harris County is on the decline, we understand that the full return to in-person classes and operations could pose challenges for some in our community. If you are concerned, please reach out to your chair, supervisor or professor to receive accommodations under the University’s COVID policies. We have relied on compassion and flexibility in the past as our guiding principles and will continue to do so in the coming weeks.

Academic Accommodations for Students: Immunocompromised students can contact the Student Accessibility Center to discuss University policy and procedures for requesting an academic accommodation. Students are encouraged to speak with their instructors regarding their classes or personal circumstances. Students and faculty can also email provost@uh.edu.

We have the public health tools that we know work well in mitigating the spread of the virus. Vaccination remains the leading prevention strategy, including a booster immunization. Please follow CDC and University guidelines, including hand hygiene, face coverings and routine COVID-19 testing, especially if you are not vaccinated. If you are exposed or test positive, it is important that you follow the UH guidelines for quarantine or isolation.

The pandemic may have changed our world in many ways, but it has not distracted us from our mission of education, research, service and innovation.  We are committed to providing students with a Tier One education in the safest environment possible. I can assure you that the leadership team continues to keep a close eye on this virus and its evolution.

Creating a safe campus environment for learning and discovery is a shared responsibility and I urge you to do your part. Thank you once again for your continued dedication.  Please stay safe and healthy!

Warm regards,

Renu Khator