It is my pleasure to welcome you to The University of Texas at Arlington. Your hard work, academic achievements, and impressive accomplishments have distinguished you from your peers, and we are proud you have chosen to pursue the Maverick experience.

You have overcome the obstacles of the past year with perseverance and grit, and this has prepared you to begin your college career during an unparalleled time in our history and to face the challenges of the 21st century head-on, as leaders of a new generation.

In just a few days, you will officially embark on your journey as a Maverick, so I want to take a moment to share with you some of the detailed plans and precautions UTA has put in place to keep our campus community safe and support you as you tackle the semester ahead.

Protecting Yourself and Others

At UTA, we believe we all have a shared responsibility to protect those around us and keep the health and safety of ourselves and others at the forefront. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, we require all Mavericks to wear a mask in all campus buildings and in crowded outdoor environments, strongly encourage social distancing, and ask all students, faculty, and staff to conduct a daily health screening before coming to campus. Cloth face masks are available to students at the University Center Campus Information Desk, the Main Library, and at The Commons Information Desk.

Campus Health and Safety Measures

The health of our students is a critical factor in their ability to achieve their academic goals, which is why it is and always has been our top priority. UTA Health Services serves the well-being of Maverick students and continues operations during COVID-19 by appointment only. Should you ever find yourself in need, Health Services provides on-campus COVID-19 testing services with no out-of-pocket costs, regardless of insurance status.

If you’re coming to campus for the spring 2021 term, you may notice some changes made in the interest of health. Enhanced campus cleaning measures are in place, new dining rules promote social distancing, and we have even updated our safety practices in operating building ventilation systems to mitigate the risks of COVID-19.

Maintaining Academic Excellence

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all students to adapt to a changing landscape of learning. We understand the challenges that can come with this, and we are committed to providing our students with helpful resources.

The UTA Libraries has updated its existing services and added new ones to better serve you. We offer students laptop lending, enhanced campus Wi-Fi capability, and socially distant computer labs to help you with your technology needs. Additionally, we have established UTA Remote for information and links to commonly used student resources in online learning. And many of our faculty have gone through additional trainings to master new tools and techniques to help them teach in formats outside of the physical classroom.

We’ve also compiled a robust set of Student FAQs for the spring semester to help you find the information you need. The Coronavirus Information page should be your go-to site for the most up-to-date information on the University’s response to COVID-19.

Finally, I want to remind you that UTA is a Community that Cares, and we have made available a number of resources to help you be your best. The challenges of pursuing a degree have been compounded by the troubles facing our local and global communities—please remember to show compassion for others and ask for help whenever you may need it.

Whether you’ll be joining us on our beautiful campus next week or through online learning, you are now an essential part of the fabric of the Maverick family. We are so happy to have you.

Stay safe and Mav Up!