Verilu Infante 
UTRGV – “We are here to help them. We are here to support them. And they can contact us with any concerns and we’ll look for resources.”
In response to a letter sent out to Academic Presidents by the UT System Chancellor, Housing and Residence Life has asked students residing on campus to check out by March 31st. Exceptions to this request are students who live in an area that is compromised, unable to travel due to self-isolation, in the foster care system, a student whose primary residence is on campus, and International Students.
Though International Students are allowed to stay on campus for now, the Director of International Admissions and Student Services states they are working with the community to help them with any necessities.
“We contacted three churches, well three churches and a student organization from UTRGV that have offered their services to students. So if they need a pickup, if they need to go see a doctor, if they need to go to the supermarket to get some food, or if they need some food, they are willing to help the students.”
Lopez states that with or without COVID-19, her job is to always advocate for International Students and she believes that UTRGV will accommodate a student’s needs if they are unable to return home.
“I’m also making a call to the community. If they want to offer any services to them, contact me and I will see how they can benefit from this. But like I said some of them return to their countries, some they’re still here. And they don’t have a mom, their dad, uncle, any relative they’re here by themselves. So that can be very stressful. If this is stressful for us, it can be more for them,” said Lopez.
We reached out to Housing and Residence Life to ask if this exception still applies if travel restrictions continue into the summer once the semester is over but we were unable to obtain an interview or statement from them.
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