Fall 2020 update on classes

We know that you have questions about returning to campus this fall as the state and nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff are always our primary concern. We are also guided by our commitment to provide the highest quality education to our students. With that in mind, we are committed to keeping campus safe, sanitized and ready for your return, while ensuring that our courses this fall reflect the quality for which Texas A&M-Kingsville has been known for nearly 100 years.

We also know the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in our region and state is evidence that we must continue to remain flexible in our planning for the fall semester.

Here are just a few things we are doing now:

• We are restructuring course schedules to allow for the most flexibility for our students, while maintaining physical distancing capacity in our learning spaces. Next week, advisors will begin contacting students about their fall class schedules. Graduate students should contact their graduate program coordinators. This fall,we will offer:
  • face-to-face courses and labs,
  • online courses, many of which will allow students to follow at their own pace for much of the semester, 
  • web conference courses, which will be online, but held at a specified date and time,
  • and Covid-Flex (Co-Flex) courses, which will allow students to meet in person one class day and then attend class virtually or complete an assignment the next class day. Some labs in some departments may only be offered face-to-face. Most face-to-face courses will also be available simultaneously via Blackboard Collaborate. This means students who register for a face-to-face course will be able to participate in the class either in-person or remotely.

• Regardless of the method by which classes are offered, students may be able to view saved lectures if they are unable to attend class for any reason.

• Faculty who will be teaching online and Co-Flex courses in the fall are attending training this summer with the Distance Learning and Instructional Technology team. This training ensures faculty integrate instructional technology design into curriculum in ways that best enhance student learning.

• We are continuing as scheduled to start the semester Monday, Aug. 24 with the last day of class being Wednesday, Dec. 2. What will be different this fall is that all classes taught after the Thanksgiving Holiday, will be offered online or virtually. Final exams will take place as scheduled Friday through Thursday, Dec. 4-10 and will be administered online.

• We have invested more than $300K in technology upgrades in some of our learning spaces to better facilitate online learning. We have also budgeted $1M for bandwidth and other information technology upgrades.

• SSC custodial crews are disinfecting public areas and high-touch surfaces like door handles, stair rails and elevator buttons along with offices across campus. In the fall, classrooms and learning spaces will be sanitized two times throughout the day. Students will also be provided with sanitizing wipes as they enter classrooms to wipe down their areas. We are using this time to stock-up on the sanitizing products we will need this fall.

• Crews have rearranged our classrooms and learning spaces to allow for recommended physical distancing and placed signage around campus.

• Faculty, staff and students will complete a mandatory COVID-19 training before returning to campus. In addition, all employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19 while traveling on business or personal matters must report the possible exposure to their supervisors and be prepared to quarantine for 14 days.

• Face coverings are now mandatory in all public places in buildings across campus and in outdoor areas where social distancing is not possible.

The University continues to develop a complete Re-opening Plan for campus that includes guidelines for reopening residence halls safely, providing engaging student experiences and establishing COVID-19 testing on campus.

While what we know about this virus evolves constantly, we now understand that the virus can infect and impact individuals of all ages. That is why it will be imperative for everyone to do their part to protect themselves and our Javelina Family.

For more information on academic scheduling, face coverings and other Fall 2020 updates, please visit https://www.tamuk.edu/return/

. This website will be updated as new information becomes available.

Stay safe, Javelinas!

Mark A. Hussey

President, Texas A&M University-Kingsville

G. Allen Rasmussen

Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, Texas A&M University-Kingsville