1

We will fulfill the UTSA mission in the face of adverse events associated with COVID-19. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources, as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property – for Texas, the nation, and the world.

Even though many activities may need to be virtual or hybrid, we remain committed to superior research, teaching, and community engagement. We will focus not only on academics, but also on providing a safe and healthy environment for campus life, athletics, research, and broader support services.

2

We will engage in an approach of shared responsibility as a campus community, which is necessary to succeed in safely meeting our UTSA mission. We will launch an aggressive COVID-19 public health awareness campaign, rooted in the philosophy of shared responsibility. We expect all UTSA community members – students, staff and faculty – to work together to ensure each other’s health and safety. Everyone should expect to participate in disinfection protocols regularly, to be tested when appropriate, and to facilitate contact tracing as needed.

3

We will conduct all business in a manner that supports the health and safety of everyone in our community, while always being mindful of our institutional mission. The pandemic’s trajectory must be considered along with the public health measures that can be undertaken to mitigate its effects: hygiene, distancing, and isolation as appropriate. Specific guidelines concerning testing, contact tracing, and quarantining are included herein.

4

We will follow pertinent guidance from relevant public health and higher education authorities (e.g. CDC, UT System, THECB) while remaining flexible to adapt our plans as new information becomes available and as new guidance is released. Our decision-making will be rooted in the most recent scientific research with a data-driven approach. Within these parameters, we will be as creative as needed to meet the UTSA mission (Guiding Principle #1), while working to further safeguard the health and safety of the university community (Guiding Principle #3).

5

We will respect and consider the diversity of our campus populations and present inclusive and equitable solutions. The Task Force itself represents diverse groups and our recommendations must consider all of these constituencies and more.