Every time Vivian Garza-Lash stood in her dimly-lit shoe-box sized kitchen, anxiety coursed through her veins. She couldn’t even stand comfortably with her roommate in the small space. While the biology sophomore grew up believing the kitchen serves as the heart of the home, there, practically chest-to-chest with the appliances, the space felt flattening. “The kitchen is supposed to be open,...
Austin residents can now apply for up to six months of rent assistance from the Housing Authority of the City of Austin, expanded from the three months it previously covered. The Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenant program provides up to six months of rent repayment for Austin residents experiencing COVID-19-related income loss, said Pilar Sanchez, vice president of Housing and Community Development...
Even though her first semester of college is only just drawing to a close, government freshman Sydney Murray already knows where she's living next year. After meeting her future roommates through her sorority, Murray has already signed a lease for an apartment in West Campus for her sophomore year. “It felt that within the first month of being here, everybody had their roommates already figured...
Since classes began, Nakhia Hall has received regular texts from her mom warning her about rising COVID-19 cases in on-campus dormitories. With the number of cases in the UT community rising, some students such as biomedical engineering freshman Hall are concerned for their health and considering moving from the dorms to single-occupancy apartments. Since classes started Aug. 26, a total of 647...
Sure Walk is changing their operations this semester to reduce health risks. Sure Walk, which provides free walks and rides from on-campus locations to home at night, resumed services Aug. 20 after a break following the University’s transition to remote learning in March. It will be available seven days a week from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Masks will be required for staff and patrons, and vehicle use will...
As students begin the fall semester, many may feel uncertain about how they will navigate the virtual college experience while caring for their mental health. The Daily Texan spoke to Kathryn Redd, the associate director for Prevention, Development and Media Relations for the Counseling and Mental Health Center, about resources and advice students can use to practice self-care. The Daily Texan: How...
Weekly club meetings, late nights at the library and catching up with friends on Speedway are all part of the usual social atmosphere on campus. However, because of current Travis County orders prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people, most of campus social life will be virtual this fall. After UT-Austin’s reopening plan was released on June 29, a few students and campus departments began...
Since this semester will look a little different, the Texan has gathered a list of which University services and resources are open, closed or online to help students navigate campus. Academic common areas, such as building lobbies and study lounges, will open at the discretion of the operating college, school or unit, said Kathleen Harrison, communications manager for the Office of the Executive Vice...
Dining on campus will look different this fall, as efforts are made to maintain social distancing and minimize cross-contact, said Erich Geiger, senior director of dining and catering for University Housing and Dining. All dining locations will be open but may be operating in different ways, Geiger said. Changes to dining halls include more locations, extended hours, different layouts and less...
UT President Gregory Fenves announced plans to have enough housing for all undergraduate freshmen in the State of the University address on Wednesday. He also announced initiatives for graduate students such as a $10 million one-time allocation for tuition. Fenves said there are currently only 7,400 spaces in University housing for 50,000 students, which has become a problem in Austin’s current...