Update on Campus Operations

Thursday, October 29, 2020 

UTEP serves an essential function. To protect the health of faculty, staff and students, we have directed that people work and study from home whenever possible. In addition to actions already taken, the Student Recreation Center will be closed for the next two weeks, and we have suspended on-campus dining services for the next two weeks.  

Most instruction is currently being conducted online. For the 15% of course sections with some in-person component scheduled during the remaining three weeks of the semester, faculty will determine which in-person activities are required for student progress toward degree and which activities may be conducted remotely. Continuation of instruction and research is essential. Faculty will be in touch with students if there is any change to their syllabi. There will be no face-to-face instruction after Thanksgiving. Academic tests on campus will continue as judged by faculty to be essential. 

The El Paso County Vote Center at UTEP will continue to be open as scheduled. University housing and the UTEP Food Pantry also will remain open.

UTEP athletic teams competing in their championship season will continue to practice and compete under the NCAA and Conference USA stringent testing protocols. The Oct. 31 football game vs. North Texas will not take place. 

UTEP will continue to use best health practices all the time. Masks are required on campus. Maintaining 6 feet of distance is required. People should wash hands frequently. The campus is cleaned thoroughly. Stay home if you or anyone in your household is sick.

UTEP’s walk-up proactive coronavirus testing program will continue. Those who must be on campus and DO NOT have symptoms of disease are strongly encouraged to participate. UTEP tested 2,480 faculty, staff and students in the last seven days through this program and got results to people in less than seven hours.

The State of Texas drive-through testing site hosted on the UTEP campus will continue to be open with a special line for anyone with a UTEP Miner Gold Card and others in the same vehicle from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Let’s continue to stay safe and protect each other. Miners take care of Miners.

Warm Regards,

Heather Wilson
President