University Of Texas Requesting All Students Self-Quarantine For 14 Days Before Returning

TOPLINE

The University of Texas is requesting that all students self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to its Austin campus in the fall, and is considering smaller crowds for its football games, as ways to control the coronavirus spread that has infected more community members there than at any university in the United States.

KEY FACTS

CRITICAL QUOTE

“We are relying on all students to take very seriously the responsibility of preventing the spread of COVID-19, and self-quarantining is a critical first step,” Hartzell said.

KEY BACKGROUND

Along with Texas A&M University, UT is a flagship university of the state of Texas, the second-largest U.S. state both by area and population. The university’s Austin campus mirrors that, with a massive student population of over 51,000. UT is known for its academics—ranking among the top 20 best public universities in the U.S., according to Forbes’ most recent “Top Colleges” list—and also for its Texas Longhorns athletics. Its football program is the most popular, with its on-campus Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium able to hold a capacity crowd of over 95,000 for football games. 

TANGENT

UT students were in the news early on in the U.S. coronavirus pandemic, when a large group of students went on a spring break trip to Mexico during the pandemic’s initial surge in the U.S. during March, leading to 64 confirmed coronavirus cases.

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