UH opts for a ‘soft opening approach, which will have professors choose between online, in-person or hybrid instruction formats. | Christopher Goodwin/The Cougar
The University has opted for a ‘soft opening,’ similar to what started off Fall 2021, to begin the Spring 2022 semester. The message comes from an announcement released by UH President Renu Khator on Friday.
The decision to go through with a ‘soft opening’ comes amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant, which has left Texans with more than 300,000 new positive cases over the past week.
“After careful consideration, we have decided to implement a soft opening of classes, similar to the Fall 2021 semester, for the first two weeks of the spring semester,” Khator wrote in the announcement. “Our campus and offices, particularly student-facing services, will remain open. Residence halls are open and new residents will move in as planned. Classes will start on schedule, albeit in a mixed modality.”
The soft opening allows professors to use their discretion on how they choose to conduct class formats; whether it be online, in-person or a hybrid model.
Students were previously concerned about UH not making the switch to online, while the school continued to monitor the virus.
Khator added how this change of operations may be discouraging for some, but important for the health and safety of the UH community.
“We were all hoping to have a more normal start of the new semester but clearly that is not the case. I want to express my appreciation for your patience as we make these adjustments during this rapidly changing environment,” Khator said. “While it may feel like déjà vu from last January, there has been much progress during the past year: vaccines, boosters and new treatments are widely available; schools are open; and the city is not in a lock-down.”
