Returning to campus was never going to be an easy road. But UNT worked throughout the summer to fine-tune its plans to welcome back students, staff and faculty this fall -- and to ensure they had ample resources, whether they were on site or at home.

The university optimized classroom space for subject areas that most benefit from in-person instruction -- such as the fine arts and laboratory sciences -- while also offering remote options for students. That created a mix of in-person, partially in-person and online/remote course deliveries that offer the quality and rigor expected of UNT. End-of-semester and final exams will be conducted remotely, and students will not be required to return to campus following the Thanksgiving break.

All students, staff and faculty were provided with online COVID-19 Safety Training before returning to campus and have access to tools such as self-monitoring forms and reporting scenarios. A COVID-19 hotline helps the UNT community fully understand symptoms and testing information and/or results.

Many academic services continue to be offered virtually, including Student Financial Services, the Office of the Registrar, Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions, and tutoring and advising offices.

Additionally, UNT President Neal Smatresk advocated for international students as one of the first university presidents to support the amicus brief filed in response to guidance issued by the Department of Homeland Security. That guidance required students from foreign countries to take at least one on-campus class in order to be enrolled at any U.S. university. The U.S. government rescinded the recommendation in mid-July.

"Thank you to all of our students, faculty and staff who are supportive of each other," Smatresk says, "and work toward creating a truly enriching global environment that values collaboration, creativity and innovation."