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Conducting On-Campus Research During COVID-19 (Research Restart)

This page contains information about UT’s approach to conducting research operations safely on campus in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers are strongly advised to follow current CDC guidelines for masking and vaccinations. Masks are available in the STEM stockroom.

We are currently in Research Level 0, which began on July 5, 2021.
Beginning October 14, 2020, undergraduates may return to campus labs and research spaces with PI approval.
Policies, best practices, and a checklist for resuming on-campus research.

Colleges and schools are accepting PI requests to resume Research Level 0 activity. Refer to the UT Research Restart Plan and Levels PDF to learn more about what kinds of research activities are permitted in this research level. Approvals for individual PIs to resume research operations are managed at the college level. The college or school that controls the research space (labs, offices, or both) that are assigned to you is the unit that will review and approve your request to resume research operations. You may submit your request to resume research for Research Level 0 by following the link for the appropriate college or school below. (If the link for your college or school opens an email window, then send your inquiry to that email address. Some CSUs are still working on their websites.)

If your unit does not report to any of these colleges or schools, please contact vp-research-sr@austin.utexas.edu to determine where to send your request.

Key Communications from the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors

January 5, 2022Research Update: Gradual Return to Campus
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
December 8, 2021Update: New Federal Court Decision for Vaccine Mandate
(email sent to specific PIs with federal contracts and cooperative agreements)
December 6, 2021Executive Order on Vaccination and Masks
(email sent to specific PIs with federal contracts and cooperative agreements)
November 10, 2021Additional Information: Federal Vaccine Mandate Compliance
(email sent to specific PIs with federal contracts and cooperative agreements)
November 9, 2021Federal Research Vaccine Mandate
(email sent to PIs)
August 9, 2021Fall Research Flexibility During COVID-19
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
July 30, 2021Delta Variant and Research Updates
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
July 1, 2021Research Level 0 Begins Monday
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
June 3, 2021Flexible Work Arrangements
(email sent to the OVPR portfolio)
May 19, 2021New Masking Guidelines
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
May 13, 2021Moving to Research Level 1 on Monday
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
May 4, 2021Relaxing Research Social Distancing Requirement
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
April 14, 2021Research Level Step-Down Begins Next Week
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
March 5, 2021Mask Guidelines Still in Effect for Researchers
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
February 23, 2021Research Cohort Changes and New Guidelines
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
February 22, 2021Please Read: Process for resuming on-campus research
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
February 19, 2021Assessing Damage in Campus Labs and Research Spaces
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
February 18, 2021URGENT: Suspend Research Operations Immediately
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
February 16, 2021Proposal Submissions Suspended
(email sent to PIs)
February 14, 2021OSP Processing Proposals during Closure
(email sent to PIs)
February 13, 2021Experiments during Inclement Weather
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
February 11, 2021Campus is open for research, but put safety first
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
January 22, 2021New Semester Notifications
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
December 15, 2020Today’s First Campus Vaccine and Revised Quarantine Guidelines
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
November 19, 2020Holiday Research Reminders
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
October 30, 2020New Social Distancing Guideline for Campus Research Spaces
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
October 22, 2020Extended Cohort Hours and ARC Updates
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
October 8, 2020Undergraduate On-Campus Research Begins October 14th
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
September 18, 2020On-Campus Undergraduate Research Update
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
September 11, 2020Resuming Human Subjects Research and Workforce Density Updates
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
September 3, 2020Conducting Research on Campus
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
August 28, 2020Fall Semester Welcome and Testing Pop-Ups Today
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
August 12, 2020End-of-Summer Research Updates
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
August 3, 2020Announcing New Research Integrity Officer
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
July 31, 2020COVID-19 App and Testing Update
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
July 15, 2020Important: Cohort Scheduling Options Begin July 27
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
July 8, 2020Testing Updates, Research Level 3
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
June 25, 2020Research Level 3 Updates
(email sent to deans, PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
June 12, 2020Friday Updates for Researchers
(email sent to PIs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows)
June 4, 2020Presidential Proclamation – Visas
(email sent to all principal investigators)
June 3, 2020Town Hall - Research Restart
(email sent to all principal investigators)
May 29, 2020Friday Updates About Research Restart
(email sent to all principal investigators)
May 21, 2020Research Restart
(email sent to all principal investigators)
April 28, 2020Research Restart Update
(email sent to all principal investigators)
April 16, 2020COVID-19 and Planning Process for Resuming On-campus Research
(email sent to all principal investigators)
March 23, 2020Pause in Laboratory Research Activities
(email sent to all principal investigators)
March 17, 2020Update: COVID-19 and Research
(email sent to all principal investigators)
March 15, 2020Lab and Core Operations and Human Subject Research
(email sent to all principal investigators)
March 12, 2020COVID-19 and Research
(email sent to all principal investigators)
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