The University of Houston-Victoria announced Thursday that it will move to Phase 2 of its reopening plan from Dec. 14 to Jan. 18 in order to ensure a safe campus environment for students, faculty and staff.

“As always, our primary concern is the health and safety of our campus community,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “With the current increases in COVID-19 cases and concerns about possible spikes after holiday gatherings, we thought this adjustment would be wise. We want to encourage our faculty, staff and students to take precautions during the holidays to minimize any possible exposure they may have to COVID-19.”

On June 15, UHV launched a five-phase reopening of its Victoria campus and the UHV Katy instructional site. The university moved to Phase 3 of its reopening plan on Aug. 11 shortly before fall classes started. Phase 3 allows up to 30 percent of employees to work on campus.

Phase 2 of UHV’s Phased Reopening Plan allows up to 15 percent of personnel to work on campus, and buildings are closed to the public. The fall semester ends on Dec. 11, and the spring semester begins Jan. 19, so students will not be on campus during this time. Employees who are able to work remotely are encouraged to do so. The university also will have an Enrollment Services Virtual Lobby on its website where current and prospective students can receive assistance and get questions answered.

Glenn and the UHV vice presidents will meet before Jan. 18 to determine if the university will continue in Phase 2 or return to Phase 3 for the start of the spring semester. Students will be notified through their UHV email accounts, and information will be updated on the university’s COVID-19 website at www.uhv.edu/covid-19/.