UT Austin COVID mandates don’t go far enough, some students say
Despite an announcement by University of Texas officials to require COVID-19 testing, many undergraduate students said they feel the university isn’t going far enough to protect them from the coronavirus during the upcoming fall semester.
As the delta variant contributes to rising COVID-19 cases across the state and Austin faces a severe shortage of ICU beds, thousands of UT students will be coming to campus soon to attend classes, which start Aug. 25. The American-Statesman messaged UT students on social media to ask their thoughts about the university’s plans for the fall semester but didn’t hear back from those who disagreed with the testing requirement.
Rohin Balkundi, a senior economics and humanities student, said he is vaccinated but he is especially concerned about people who are immunocompromised and professors with children younger than 12, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated.
More:UT to require COVID-19 tests for all students prior to first day of school
“For fall 2020 and spring 2021, I thought UT did a pretty good job, all things considered, with having readily available (proactive community testing) and … becoming a vaccine hub,” Balkundi said. “Now, I am scared of going to Austin. A lot of that is because I have class and I have to go to work. And I just hope that those places have precautions set in place.”
UT announced Monday that all students would be required to get a COVID-19 test before the first day of classes, but masks and vaccinations will not be required. And unlike fall 2020, during which the vast majority of classes were offered online or in a hybrid format, more than 88% of classes are scheduled to be in-person this fall.
Ariana Morales, a junior international relations and global studies student, called the testing requirement “below the bare minimum.” Without a mask or vaccine mandate, she said she’s worried about students, staff and faculty contracting and spreading COVID-19 during in-person classes.
“I do not trust UT-Austin to keep people responsible,” Morales said. “I’m really scared to go back into in-person classes, because most of our classes are either hybrid or in person. And having the protocols that they have in place right now does not ensure anyone’s safety or security.”
Gov. Greg Abbott has prohibited agencies that receive state funding from mandating masks or requiring vaccinations, but UT officials are strongly recommending that students, staff and faculty get vaccinated and wear a mask indoors.
More:How can Texas stop the COVID-19 delta surge? We asked an infectious disease expert
Students will not face any disciplinary consequences for not submitting the required COVID-19 test, but students living in university-owned housing who refuse to get a test will have their housing contract canceled.
UT spokesperson Eliska Padilla said students who don’t get a test could contribute to the further spread of COVID-19 and related hospitalizations.
“All students complying will help minimize the introduction of new cases to our campus community, reducing the likelihood of disruption from missing class due to illness or exposure or the implementation of further restrictions,” Padilla said.
Mina Mashhoon, a sophomore majoring in government, said she appreciates that UT is requiring tests, but it’s an “empty gesture” if it doesn’t enforce any disciplinary consequences or offer incentives.
“It’s definitely good that people are going to be tested,” Mashhoon said. “But I wish that they would keep up that policy throughout the semester. Lots of other schools, at the very least, even if they don’t have vaccine or mask mandates, have mandatory testing programs. I don’t feel like that’s unreasonable.”
Texas A&M University students who submit proof of vaccination will be entered into a drawing for a prize equivalent to one year of free tuition and fees.
“As an institute of higher education, UT has a responsibility to be not just following in the footsteps of other universities but setting the path,” Mashhoon said. “And so I think it’s really disappointing to see UT lagging behind schools like A&M who have been traditionally conservative.”
More:What parents need to know about back to school in 2021
Padilla said UT is still working on the details of its efforts to increase vaccination rates and does not plan to require additional COVID-19 testing of students. She said students who are concerned about COVID-19 can contact UT’s Behavior Concerns and COVID-19 Advice Line, 512-232-5050.
“We encourage the Longhorn community to focus on the things they can do to help keep the campus community healthy and safe,” Padilla said.
Kai Bovik, a sociology junior who is immunocompromised, said he doesn’t believe a test at the beginning of the semester will make it safe for him to attend class if his classmates are not masked and vaccinated.
“I don’t think it’s entirely the fault of the school because of all the measures that Abbott has put into place with them not being able to require masks or asking for proof of vaccination status,” Bovik said. “But I hate that I have to put my health at risk and the health of my family and of my partner because the government pretty much made it hard or impossible to curb (the virus) at the school.”
