UH Campus Safety Responds To COVID-19


2020 and COVID-19 have brought unique challenges for the University of Houston including making a number of campus departments change gears in operations and serve in new roles. The department of UH Campus Safety in 2020 has been no different and has shifted many operations this year to focus and respond to COVID-19. UH Campus Safety includes four (4) different units including: Fire/Life Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, the Office of Emergency Management, and Occupational Health Services.

Below are just a few of examples of the roles that UH Campus Safety units played in the response to COVID-19 this year:

Fire & Life Safety:

  • Assisted with reviewing various department/college re-opening plans in advance of the Fall 2020 semester
  • Provided expertise on various COVID-19 Work Groups and Committees

Environmental Health & Safety:

  • Partnered with Division of Research to support research pause and restart of research lab activities
  • Assisted with the review/approval of various research proposals to support innovative UH COVID-19 research
  • Assisted with reviewing various department/college re-opening plans in advance of the Fall 2020 semester
  • Provided expertise on various COVID-19 Work Groups and Committees

Office of Emergency Management:

  • Activated the UH Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to monitor COVID-19 for 308 days (since January 27th) and has produced 73 (EOC) Situation Reports.
  • Developed a Positive Case Reporting and Contact Tracing tool for the University of Houston; This tool stores all COVID-19 diagnosis and exposure reports and routes reports to the contact tracing team to complete case investigation interviews.
  • Manages the UH COVID-19 Case Support Help Desk, a call-center open Monday-Friday to answer COVID-19 questions regarding positive cases and potential exposure protocols

Occupational Health Services:

  • A brand new department created this year with the hiring of the Director of Occupational Health Services to assist with COVID-19 response
  • Monitors COVID-19 case trends, liaisons with the City of Houston Health Department, and assists with COVID-19 protocol related inquiries from the campus community

“This year has required our teams to shift and step into new roles required by the unique challenges brought on by COVID-19,” remarked Assistant Vice President for Campus Safety, Kelly Boysen. “The level of dedication and flexibility that the UH Campus Safety teams have exhibited this year is nothing short of amazing. I am grateful and proud of all stepping up to play their critical part in helping to keep our Campus Community safe” says Boysen.

Learn more about the University’s COVID-19 response at https://uh.edu/covid-19/