Despite Gov. Greg Abbott declaring Texas “100 percent open,” a public university is saying they’ll be keeping their COVID restrictions in place.
Texas State University in San Marcos has confirmed it will continue its mask mandates and classroom capacity limits. Via a campus-wide email, University President Denise Trauth announced that the university would still follow Texas Education Agency guidelines, such as mask mandates and capacity limits, despite Abbott’s executive order.
“We will continue to receive guidance on this issue from the Texas State University System Office of General Counsel,” said Trauth, “but at this time, we intend to keep our health and safety precautions in place through the end of the semester.”
While Texas State claims to be reviewing Abbott’s executive order, it still plans to keep current COVID guidelines at least till the end of the semester.
This comes after Student Body President Catching Valentinis-Dee released a memorandum demanding the complete reopening of campus. In her memorandum, Valentinis-Dee points out that Texas State’s “roadmap to return” said the campus could reopen without restriction when “vaccines and/or highly effective treatments are likely approved and widely available, and/or there is low circulation of the coronavirus.”
After referencing Gov. Abbott’s executive order and expressing her disappointment in the lack of a full campus reopening, she called upon Texas State University to enact reopening policies. These include eliminating capacity restrictions, abolishing the penalty for not wearing a mask, and encouraging mask use—without punishment—and overall adherence to other safety guidelines.
