COVID-19: Updates impacting the UHCL community

Dear Colleagues,

In preparation for upcoming final exams, beginning Monday, May 4, the campus computer labs will be open at the following locations for students who are having technology issues.

SSCB 2201 Open Computer Labs: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday
9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday
Closed on Saturday and Sunday
May 4 through May 15

Pearland 104 Computer Labs: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday
Closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
May 4 through May 15

Our top priority is to protect the health and safety of our students, staff and faculty. To obtain entrance into a computer lab, a student must follow these safety requirements.
Maintain social distancing: All people shall maintain 6-ft social distancing at all times (outside and within the computer lab).
Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Anyone wishing to gain entrance must wear PPE consisting of cloth face coverings/masks and gloves at all times.
Disinfect workspace: Each computer user shall wipe down their assigned work space, including but not limited to, desktop, keyboard, mouse, and chair at the beginning and end of their session using disinfectant wipes provided by lab staff.
Undergo health check: Upon entrance to the computer lab, everyone will be required to sign a log sheet and may be subjected to wellness questions and a temperature screening. Anyone displaying signs or symptoms of illness will be asked to leave immediately.

Due to our ever-changing environment during this COVID-19 pandemic, the operation of the computer lab may be ramped up or down as needed to insure public health and safety at the direction of the University Emergency Manager and Environmental, Health and Safety department.

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students:

Effective Monday, April 27, 2020 until further notice, in light of recent recommendations from the CDC, the federal government and Harris County regarding wearing face coverings, University of Houston-Clear Lake, including the Pearland and Texas Medical Center locations, is now requiring face masks for those staff working on campus in situations where they are in close proximity (within 6 feet) of others. This requirement is also directed to all who are visiting campus, including students, contractors and visitors (10 years of age or older).

Please note that face coverings do not need to be worn in the following circumstances:

When working alone in a single office;
When engaging in physical activity outside;
When wearing a face covering poses a greater mental or physical health, safety or security risk;
While operating outdoor equipment, if not appropriate from a safety standpoint;
When consuming food or drink.
Individuals are asked to wear a cloth bandana or face covering that covers their nose and mouth. Cloth face coverings should be washed daily. The use of surgical masks, surgical N-95 respirators or other medical masks is strongly discouraged to maintain the resources for health care providers and first responders. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing and regular handwashing. Continue to keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.

Certain employees on campus, such as UHCL PD consistent with their role as first responders, will be provided appropriate face coverings.

Resources for Making Your Own Face Covering

CDC guidelines, including how to make a simple face covering: Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
How to Make Your Own Face Covering with Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, in a few easy steps
How to Make a Face Covering with a bandana and hair bands
CDC Guidance on Face Covering
Stay well,

Ira K. Blake, Ph.D.
President

Dear Hawks:

I hope you are safe and well. The Division of Student Affairs Family misses having all of you on campus. As your vice president for Student Affairs, I am committed to keeping all of you informed.

I am writing to share that a confirmed case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been identified on campus. I have been in daily communication with other university administrators and assure you that campus officials are taking the necessary steps to keep all campus spaces safe and sanitized following public health guidelines. At this time, the risk to the university community is considered low.

President Blake will provide more detailed information via her weekly Friday address, however, I wanted to share this information with you immediately in our efforts to keep you informed. I will do my best to share information with you as needed and as information becomes available. Please also monitor your UHCL email and the university Health Alert webpages regularly for updates.

I know this has been a challenging time for many of you, but know that the Division of Student Affairs is here to support you. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Dean of Students Office.

Thank you all for being the absolute BEST examples of the Hawk Way. As always, please stay safe and stay well.

With Hawk Pride,
Aaron J. Hart, Ed.D.
Vice President
Division of Student Affairs
University of Houston-Clear Lake

Dear Students:

As we continue to navigate our course during these unusual times, I would like to thank you for demonstrating the hope and grit of UH-Clear Lake Hawks. Your faculty and staff are working diligently to continue to deliver unrivaled educational experiences, despite this COVID-19 pandemic.

Online Operations
Given the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, university leadership and I have decided to continue the delivery of classes online for the entire summer. This includes all summer courses from the May Mini-session through the last four-week session that ends in August.

Continue to check www.uhcl.edu/health-alert for the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 and UH-Clear Lake. You may also find answers to many of your questions by visiting www.uhcl.edu/health-alert/students/. Specific questions about the impact of COVID-19 can be asked through the Dean of Students Contact form.

Please know that UHCL’s leadership team is committed to keeping you regularly updated regarding any chances to our schedule concerning remote operations, as well as official city, county and state developments that might impact university operations. We are here because of you, and for you. As I remind you at the end of every Hawk Talk: Remember to stay healthy, stay focused, work hard, and keep a positive attitude. Why? Because that is The Hawk Way!

Sincerely,
Ira K. Blake, Ph.D.
President

Dear Students:

We are facing extraordinary circumstances. Although we have faced crises together before, this one is different. While we are fortunate to already be engaged in online learning and services, the scale and speed of these changes are constantly evolving. I want to share some updates with you in our efforts to keep you safe, healthy and informed as you continue your semester at UH-Clear Lake.

Online Operations Extended Through April 30
On Tuesday, March 31, Harris County officials extended the “Stay Home, Work Safe” order through April 30. I ask for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this unprecedented situation, as this is a fluid time for many around the world.

Last weekend, I shared a video on social media with updates from myself, Dr. Berberich, and Dr. Hart. Our leadership team will reevaluate the delivery of instruction and services later this month and keep you informed via email, website, and social media.

Summer Classes Moving Online
You should have received information on the interim Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grade Policy. Additionally, all summer classes scheduled to start before July 1 (May Mini session, 5-week first and regular summer classes) will be conducted online or via alternative format. We will continue to monitor the impact of the pandemic and will determine by the end of April whether summer classes after July 1 can return to their regular format.

Checking In
I know many of you are parents, caregivers, and facing challenges with employment. I want to commend you on your efforts to adapt to changes while continuing to pursue your educational goals. Please take moments to care for yourself and your families during this time. Know that as Hawks, we come together to support one another. If you need assistance or would like to speak to someone about your questions and concerns, please reach out by filling out the Dean of Students Contact Form.

The health and wellbeing of our UH-Clear Lake community remains my highest priority. Thank you all for being examples of The Hawk Way through your grit and resilience. I am confident we will get through this together.

Sincerely,
Ira K. Blake, Ph.D.
UHCL President

Dear Hawks:

We hope you are well and safe. In response to Harris County’s “Stay Home Work Safe” order, effective at 11:59 p.m. today through Friday, April 3, all campus operations will be conducted online or virtually. Access to campus facilities will be limited to essential personnel. We encourage all students to remain safe and stay home.

For enrolled UHCL students who do not have a reliable computer, we have launched the Online Learning Assistance and Reimbursement Program (oLARP).

Program:
Provides reimbursement for up to 80% of eligible expense toward the purchase of a laptop/desktop/tablet (applied to a maximum $800 of a computer purchase)

Criteria:
Currently enrolled UHCL student (i.e., student presently enrolled for spring 2020 15-week or second 8-week session)
Active FAFSA or TASFA on file with Student Financial Aid office
A course load of six or more graded semester credit hours
Must have receipt of purchased laptop/desktop/tablet dated 3/16/2020 through 7/31/2020. Peripherals and other consumables are not eligible.
Visit the Reimbursement Program page to determine what your maximum reimbursement would be.
If you are experiencing, or expect to experience, a financial hardship (loss of employment, medical concerns, etc.) and are unable to make the initial purchase, please contact the Dean of Students Office at 281-283-2567 or via email at deanofstudents@uhcl.edu.
For students needing internet connectivity, some local internet service providers are providing reduced rates or free public access.

Comcast
Spectrum
AT&T

If you are conducting research, your faculty instructor will be informing you how that research will continue during this “Stay Home Work Safe” order. Those faculty, staff and students engaged in essential research will be permitted to come to campus during the “Stay Home Work Safe” order.

If you have concerns related to your specific courses, reach out directly to your instructor. For general student questions, please contact the Dean of Students Office at 281-283-2567 or via email at deanofstudents@uhcl.edu. Refer to the university website for the latest information regarding campus operations.

Aaron J. Hart, Ed.D. Vice President, Division of Student Affairs
Steven J. Berberich, Ph.D., Provost, Academic Affairs

Greetings Hawks,

The SGA Executive Council hopes you and your loved ones are safe and in great health. We are living in a time when everything is changing daily, and we are learning to become a united group more than ever, even from a distance. We understand that this may also be a stressful time. However, as your student body representatives, we want to ensure that we are here for you.

University of Houston-Clear Lake is working tirelessly to ensure the students, faculty, staff and administrators are impacted as little as possible by the COVID-19 pandemic. The university is offering online/virtual resources to students, and we will remain connected with the institution to ensure that your concerns are addressed. With the campus transition to an online presence, the SGA had to make to major decisions to reflect the institution’s new direction. Please see the important items below.

SGA Weekly Meetings/Senate Meetings

The university has asked that students not come to campus unless absolutely necessary. This request does affect regularly scheduled SGA meetings and business. The Executive Council has decided to table/suspend all scheduled SGA meetings and business items on the floor until UHCL reopens. We are moving to a special recess. All new business, old business, fund requests, etc. will be tabled until we can all return to campus. We realize that the close will affect the number of meeting held each academic year, and so we will be sure to conduct as many special session meetings as necessary.

SGA Constitution and Leadership Applications

The Student Government Association is completely revamping their constitution. To date, the proposed document has reached its required 30-day review period. A student body vote to adopt the document will take place once we all return to campus. The process will be announced at the first scheduled SGA special session meeting. For details on the process, contact the current SGA Executive Council at SGA@uhcl.edu.

What does the constitution changes this mean for applicants? If passed, the roles and responsibilities will change for many of the positions, but not in a way where it will be increasingly taxing on the elected student(s). Once an application is approved, candidates must meet with the SGA advisor to review position details, potential changes, and expectations. The meeting is required in order to remain an eligible candidate. Due to the nature of our situation, applications will remain open on the UHCL GetInvolved Forms page.

Applications will be reviewed once everyone returns to campus. SGA will announce eligible candidates, campaigning details, and election timelines at the first scheduled SGA special session meeting. For details on the process, contact the SGA advisor, Patrick Lawrence Cardenas, at Cardenas@uhcl.edu.

Communicate with SGA Virtually

The SGA Executive Council will be working with the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership in creating ways for the SGA representatives, senators, and general student body to communicate with SGA leadership. We hope to offer bi-weekly meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to connect with one another, share our successes and challenges, and share UHCL concerns. For those who are familiar with our meeting format, it will be like an extended open forum. To ensure we have accurately contact our SGA representatives or their alternate, please make sure your student organization roster is updated through UHCL GetInvolved.

Please continue to check the UHCL website and your student emails for updates, as the university will want to communicate them to you as soon as possible. For more information on COVID-19, answers to frequently asked questions and other resources, visit www.uhcl.edu/health-alert.

Enjoy the rest of week. Stay safe, Hawks!

Good morning, UHCL community,

In order to protect the health of our staff and clients and minimize the spread of COVID-19, doors will be closed at both the Clear Lake and Pearland campuses and all face-to-face consultations have been suspended until further notice. As of Monday, March 23rd, the Writing Center is available for online consultations only. Previously-scheduled face-to-face appointments have been converted into online appointments. The Writing Center remains open virtually from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays. We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone, and wanted to reach out with information about how to access our services in the coming weeks.

Making and Modifying Appointments
To schedule, modify, and access online appointments, writers may visit https://uhcl.mywconline.com/. First-time visitors to the Writing Center must register before making an appointment. For assistance, writers may contact us at writingcenter@uhcl.edu with any questions. For a step-by-step video on how to create and access online writing center appointments, visit this link: https://bit.ly/2xhyTdW

Finding Tip Sheets and Writing Guides
Writers may continue to access our tip sheets and writing guides at https://www.uhcl.edu/writing-center/writing-center-resources/. Under “Using Sources and Documentation,” users of APA Style and the Bluebook for legal citation can find newly-updated tipsheets on the most recent editions of these resources.

Contacting the Writing Center
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our virtual front desk via Microsoft Teams, which can be accessed by visiting Office.com, logging in with your UHCL email and password, finding the Teams app, and searching for the user “uhclwc”! For a step-by-step video on how to access the Writing Center’s virtual front desk, visit this link: https://bit.ly/3940L2x.

The Writing Center is always available during regular business hours to answer questions or concerns via email at writingcenter@uhcl.edu. Please contact us if we can help.

Sincerely,

The UHCL Writing Center

Due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) safety concerns, Follett, the company that manages the UHCL Campus Store, has reduced operational hours, Monday – Thursday 10 AM – 2 PM and Friday – closed, until further notice. However, the UHCL Campus Store online remains open and, is extending FREE SHIPPING to avoid disruption. The store’s priority is to ensure the campus community has textbooks and other essential items.

Campus store interactions and services include the following:

RedShelf, the provider of digital course materials, is offering students access to eBooks from a variety of publishers for no additional cost. Details are available at follett.com/RedShelf. This covers about 80% of the titles.

Lumen Learning, a premier partner in Open Educational Resources content and courseware, is offering Waymaker and OHM materials free, for courses currently in session. For faculty members seeking a well-designed digital alternative or supplement to their current textbook, Lumen courseware may be a good fit. Course set-up is simple, and faculty can be ready to teach on the same day. For additional information please, visit Lumen online.

For additional non-digital materials and other items, the UHCL Campus Store has extended a free shipping offer, with no minimum purchase, to the campus community to fulfill any academic or personal needs that may arise.

For students’ rental returns, Follett is offering free shipping return labels and is extending the non-return period without penalty to assist with increased returns by mail. Visit the UHCL Campus Store online for additional options and assistance available.

The UHCL Campus Store manager is on campus to answer phone calls and monitor voicemail at this time. If you have a general inquiry or a question regarding an order, including commencement regalia, send an email to UHCLcampusstore@uhcl.edu.

This email address is monitored, daily Monday through Friday, and someone will respond in a timely manner. Due to COVID-19 challenges of social distances, there may be an occasional delay in processing orders, so please be patient with the store as they navigate through this unprecedented time. Please visit the UHCL Campus Store online for updates.

Usha Matthew
Associate Vice President of Finance

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

University of Houston-Clear Lake business operations remain open and supported by staff and faculty working on and off-site to provide the best service in our learner-focused environment. We will continue to monitor the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic as we transition to an online instructional environment through May 2.

At present, the campus is operating under normal access conditions. However, in the event that ongoing circumstances require the campus to alter business operations, precautionary measures will be taken to protect the campus facilities and personnel who are designated as “essential” and will continue to work on campus.

Please take a moment to review the following campus access conditions and how they affect you, should there be a change in the university’s operating status. University students, staff and faculty should carry their university ID on them at all times, regardless of the campus condition status.

Normal Access – This is how we function on a regular basis. Buildings have regular unlocked hours. During locked hours, students, faculty and staff can access exterior doors and common areas with their university ID.

Limited Access – All card-access doors are locked at all times; exterior doors and common areas are accessible for students, faculty and staff with their university ID.

Restricted Access – All card-access doors are locked at all times; only essential personnel, police, EHS and designated FMC members may enter. Access will not be granted to others.

For more detailed definitions, visit the Access Control Conditions webpage.

It is important that students, faculty and staff have their university issued ID card with them at all times to prevent unnecessary inconvenience. Contact campus police at 281-283-2222 if you have access issues.

If you are in need of an ID card, contact the Student Assistance Center at 281-283-2451.

Sincerely,

Russell Miller, Interim Chief of Police
UHCL Police Department

Dear Hawks,

As we strive to work and live through the COVID-19 crisis, we assure you that your student services team is here to serve and support you. We are committed to your holistic campus experience and will continue to provide student support services both in-person and virtually.

While we appreciate your desire to come to campus, we ask that you only come if absolutely necessary. The support services directory link below has been created to answer your questions and concerns. The directory outlines information for the services that each area continues to provide during this unprecedented time.
Please contact us via the Support Services Directory page.

This directory also provides the most updated information on services. We assure you a member of our team will be ready to assist and support you.

Thank you again for your understanding as we continue to provide the personal and caring student services you have come to expect from University of Houston-Clear Lake.

For updates related to COVID-19, visit www.uhcl.edu/health-alert.

Go Hawks!
Aaron Hart, Ed.D., Vice President of Student Affairs
Timothy Richardson, Ph.D., Associate Vice President of Student Success and Initiatives

Dear Students:

We understand many of you may be struggling with the changes that COVID-19 has caused in all of our lives. UHCL is taking steps to minimize the possibility of our students, faculty, and staff contracting COVID-19, while still making every effort to continue delivering high-quality instruction.

As outlined in President Blake’s message last week and in response to city and county emergency health declarations, we will be transitioning all classes to an online or alternative format in an effort to limit large gatherings and to practice social distancing. No face-to-face classes will be offered at UH-Clear Lake, UH-Clear Lake at Pearland or any off-campus locations.

All tests, exams and assignments due during the week of March 16 will have a one-week pause. Classes will be delivered online or in an alternative format beginning Monday, March 23 and continuing at least through Saturday, May 2.

If your instructor is currently using Blackboard as part of your current class, they will continue to do so. If not, you will be able to access your class through Blackboard by Monday, March 23. Instructors will be contacting you through Blackboard and/or email this week.

This week, you are required to take the following actions:

Log in to Blackboard to access your online classes and respond to your instructor’s messages. You may not receive Blackboard notifications through email, so log in at least once a day to get the most up-to-date information. If your instructor contacts you by email, please respond. It is important that you respond to your instructor so that they are confident that you have remote access to your class.
Contact the Dean of Students at 281-283-2567 or email deanofstudents@uhcl.edu if you do not have access to a computer or internet service. The SSCB and UHCL Pearland computer labs will remain open. Lab hours can be found online.
Confirm with your instructor that you have access to your online class and have received a copy of your modified class syllabus from your instructor via Blackboard no later than Monday, March 23. which will detail how your class content will be delivered remotely. The modified class syllabus will be found in your Blackboard course.
Visit the Blackboard Student Support page for online training and resources, if you have not had prior experience using Blackboard.

The UH-Clear Lake leadership is committed to keeping you regularly updated of any changes to our schedule concerning remote operations, or any broader city or county developments that may impact the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff.

Below are the dates and registration deadlines for the second 8-week session, which will be completed in seven weeks:

Second 8-Week Session
March 30: First class day
March 31: Last day to register for second 8-week session
April 1: Payment deadline
April 6: Census date
May 4: Last day to drop/withdraw
May 16: Last class day and final exams

Access the modified Spring 2020 Academic Calendar online to view more important dates. At this time, summer registration dates have not changed. However, we will continue you to update you as decisions are made and more information becomes available.

As we navigate through these challenging circumstances together, I assure you that faculty will continue to deliver the highest quality of education regardless of the format. Please continue to monitor your UH-Clear Lake email as well as the UHCL Health Alert webpages.

For specific questions about the impact of COVID-19, please email healthalert@uhcl.edu. In the coming days, we will provide additional information regarding various student services.

Sincerely,
Steven J. Berberich, Ph.D., Provost
Aaron Hart, Ph.D., Vice President of Student Affairs
Heather Kanenberg, Ph.D., Faculty Senate President

Greetings,

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be suspending the Hawk Express including the weekly grocery trip until further notice. We will monitor the situation closely and update as needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us by email at parking@uhcl.edu or by phone at 281-283-2277.

We thank you for your time and patience.
Sincerely,
University Parking and Transportation

In order to minimize the spread of COVID-19, no UHCL classes will be held March 16-21, 2020.

For the Regular and 1st 8 week sessions, classes will resume (remotely or in alternative format) beginning March 23, 2020.

For the 1st 8 week session, the last week of classes will resume on March 23rd with finals on March 28th.

For the 2nd 8 week session, classes will begin on March 30th and end on May 16th.

The payment deadline is April 1st

The census date is April 6th

The last day to drop/withdrawal is May 4th

Last class day and final exams is May 16th

The dates are visible on the UHCL Academic Calendar located at https://www.uhcl.edu/academics/resources/academic-calendar/spring-2020

Please continue to check our websites for future updates.

Sincerely,
Office of the Registrar
University of Houston-Clear Lake
281-283-2525 | registrar@uhcl.edu

Greetings,

We are resuming the grocery trip for this Saturday, March 14, 2020. Please find attached the link for the weekly grocery trip sign-up ( MUST be filled out by all students intending to go on a grocery trip). The grocery trip will be on Saturday, March 14th, 2020

The sign-up will be CLOSED on Friday at 8 PM. Please be at your respective stop 2-3 minutes before the shuttle arrives.

Hunter Hall: 10.05 am
Christ Church: 10.15 am
Coastal Flow: 10.20 am
Anytime Fitness: 10.25 am
University Forest Apartments (UFA): 10.25 am

Grocery trip sign-up: here
We thank you for your time and patience.

Due to the cancellation of classes next week (March 16-21). The Parking and Transportation department will be suspending all shuttle services until further notice. In addition, parking enforcement, excluding employee lots, will be suspended as well during this time period. We will be putting hand sanitizer on all shuttles when service resumes. The SSCB 1103 Parking Booth will remain operational during the week of March 16. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at Parking@uhcl.edu or call us at 281-283-2277.

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

To allow faculty, staff and students to address professional and personal matters in response to the city of Houston and Harris County emergency health declarations and to do our part in minimizing the spread of COVID-19, we are taking the following actions at UH-Clear Lake, UH-Clear Lake at Pearland and all off-campus locations.

Classes (face-to-face and online), including lectures, seminars, discussions and/or presentations, will not be held next week (March 16-21). Beginning March 23, classes will be offered remotely (online or alternative format) until further notice.

Students are encouraged to stay home. Hunter Hall and Dining Services will be open for those deciding to return from spring break. Student Housing and Residential Life will be available, and all protocols regarding sanitization and hygiene to prevent the spread of the virus are being followed.

Faculty and staff may work from home to the extent that they are able to perform their functions remotely and with prior approval from their supervisor and Human Resources. All UH-Clear Lake campuses will remain open, and all offices and services will continue to operate until further notice. Research labs will be open, and related services will remain in operation.

Events and programming funded and sponsored by UH-Clear Lake are cancelled through April 30. If you have an event planned during the month of April that cannot be rescheduled, please consult with the vice president of your division.

Facilities will be maintained using sanitization and hygiene protocols as recommended by authorities. This includes increased custodial cleaning and the availability of hand sanitizer dispensers at all entrances, common areas and elevators.

At this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at UH-Clear Lake or any other system university. UH-Clear Lake’s Emergency Management team works with local, state and federal authorities on a daily basis. We will keep you informed about any updates as they relate to your work and learning at UH-Clear Lake. Meanwhile, we urge you to follow personal hygiene precautions and exercise social distancing measures as recommended by the CDC and local health authorities.

I understand that these precautionary measures may be inconvenient and disappointing to you, but we hope that these efforts can help minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Your health and safety are our priority.

Please find more information about COVID-19 at www.uhcl.edu/health-alert. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us by emailing healthalert@uhcl.edu. Further communication for faculty, staff and students will be forthcoming Thursday.

Sincerely,

Ira K. Blake, Ph.D.
UHCL President

Dear Students:

As the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to be an issue around the world, I want to reach out to you and address some concerns that have been expressed in recent days.

I am writing this email to all students after hearing troubling news regarding reports in other states about discrimination, harassment, stereotyping or bullying directed toward people from China, people perceived to be Chinese, or people of East or South Asian descent.

As a U.S. higher education institution, we want to ensure that students are provided with a healthy, safe campus to study and learn free from bias and discrimination. Discrimination comes in many forms, ranging from physical or verbal abuse to other forms of negative treatment based on bias or misunderstandings about cultural traditions. Discrimination is based on a person’s protected class, which can include race, color, national origin and other personal identities. Discrimination and harassment are practices that will not be tolerated in any form by UHCL. This is an opportunity for “see something, say something”.

If you have been bullied, discriminated against or harassed due to fear of the COVID-19 coronavirus, please do not hesitate to reach out to me and or my office.

Thank You
Miguel Torres, BBA
Post-baccalaureate Professional
Data Analyst
Office of Title IX/Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
University of Houston-Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77058
281-283-2303
Torresm@uhcl.edu

Dear Faculty and Staff:

As the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to be an issue around the world, I want to reach out to you to address some concerns that have been expressed in recent days.

I am writing this email to all faculty and staff after hearing troubling reports from other states about discrimination, harassment, stereotyping and bullying directed toward people from China, people perceived to be Chinese, or people of East or South Asian descent. Although we can “self-identity and self-quarantine”, we cannot self-select, with our lens, who is or should be in isolation. What we can do is communicate the need to be vigilant around hand wash hygiene, hand sanitizing, offering campus health services and the importance of community health in flexible classroom attendance and “working from home” kinds of solutions should exposure be suspected.

As a U.S. higher education institution, we want to ensure that our community is provided with a healthy and safe campus from which to study and learn, free from bias and discrimination. Discrimination comes in many forms, ranging from physical or verbal abuse to other forms of negative treatment based on bias or misunderstandings about cultural traditions. Discrimination is based on a person’s protected class, which can include race, color, national origin and other personal identities. Discrimination and harassment are practices that will not be tolerated in any form by UHCL.

If you experience or witness bullying, discrimination or harassment due to fear of the COVID-19 coronavirus, please do not hesitate to reach out to me and or my office.

Thank you and please have a great rest of your day!

We purpose to provide a safe, inclusive and equitable environment and community for learning, visiting and working.

Eyes forward!!

Scott S. Richardson, Ed.D.
Chief Diversity Officer/Title IX Coordinator
University of Houston – Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd.|Houston, TX 77058
P: 281-283-2305|E: RichardsonS@uhcl.edu

Dear Faculty, Students and Staff:

Being a Hawk means helping those around you to be safe and healthy. As a community that cares, UHCL has been monitoring COVID-19 to ensure the safety of every student, faculty member and staff member with travel plans in the near future.

If you have planned university-sponsored travel within the U.S. and are concerned about COVID-19, please feel empowered to voice your concern. Ask your supervisor or advisor to consider cancelling UHCL attendance to conferences, meetings and other group events, especially those that could involve international travel for other attendees.

The University of Houston System has issued a COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Statement. It requires any students, faculty or staff returning from China, Iran, South Korea, Italy or Japan to self-quarantine for 14 days away from campus to prevent the virus from spreading. This is especially important to keep in mind if you’ll be traveling internationally during Spring Break.

It has been determined necessary for anyone who has traveled to the aforementioned countries within the last 60 days, or who plans future travel anywhere internationally, to self-report their travel to UHCL by completing the travel registration form.

Remember, your health and well-being should always be your No. 1 priority. For more information about COVID-19 and its impact on the UHCL community, visit the Health Alert page.

Sincerely,

Ira K. Blake, Ph.D.
UHCL President

UHS Faculty, Staff and Students,

We continue to follow closely the global spread of COVID-19 and its potential impact on our university communities. The international profile of our universities, which includes routine travel abroad in both official and personal capacities, means we must be especially vigilant in determining when anyone in our universities has become potentially exposed to the virus and take responsible actions to contain and prevent its spread.

The University of Houston System has issued a COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Statement It requires any students, faculty or staff returning from travel to countries under a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Level 2 or Level 3 Travel Warning related to coronavirus to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days away from campus. This ensures that anyone who has returned and develops symptoms of COVID-19 will not inadvertently spread the virus to others on our campuses.

As Spring Break approaches, it is important for anyone considering personal international travel especially to China, Iran, South Korea, Italy or Japan to clearly understand the implications on their return to the United States and to campus. As Chancellor, my number one priority is to ensure that our universities remain safe and healthy.

For a detailed explanation of this policy statement and additional information about COVID-19, please visit this UHS website.

Sincerely,
Renu Khator
Chancellor, University of Houston System