Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Face masks are now required on the Lamar University campus.

In early July, Governor Abbott issued an order that requires face masks be worn in counties with more than 20 COVID-19 cases. In compliance with this order, anyone on the LU campus must wear a face mask while on campus, unless one of the following exceptions is met:

--Have certain health conditions that prevent wearing a mask
--While consuming food or drink
--Are outside where six feet of social distancing is possible
--Under the age of 10 years old.

The governor’s order states that violators could face up to $250 in fines. Individuals not wearing a face mask when required may receive a written or verbal warning for their first violation.

We ask for everyone's support as we implement this new requirement, designed to protect the health of the entire LU community.

Lamar University’s campus-wide efforts to mitigate virus risks include sanitizing and disinfecting common and high-traffic areas; making hand sanitizer available; encouraging enhanced personal hygiene practices, including regular hand-washing; and providing safety equipment to employees based on job responsibilities and OSHA risk levels.

LU is also complying with Governor Abbott's requirement that face masks be worn. To learn more about the requirement that face masks be worn on the LU campus, read President Evans' July 2 letter.  

These are only a few of the precautions LU is taking. For more information, visit Campus Announcements Regarding Coronavirus. 

Lamar University is gradually reopening its campus, and certain precautions remain in place to protect the LU community. For example, all persons on LU's campus must wear masks at this time. As part of these precautions, it is possible that anyone on campus may be asked to show ID. We ask for patience and understanding as we take these measures to safeguard everyone's health.

The 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as coronavirus COVID-19, is a member of a large family of viruses, which can cause a variety of illnesses in animals and humans. One type of coronavirus causes about 20% of common colds in humans. Other types of coronavirus have caused more serious illnesses in the past, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

After apparently originating in the Wuhan province of China, the coronavirus COVID-19 spread worldwide, including North America. Like all members of the coronavirus family, it has a single strand of RNA to carry its genetic code. So far, it has caused illness in thousands of people. Among those with the illness, the severity has varied from simple “cold symptoms” all the way up to death. The fraction of those with a severe infection is a small portion of the total number infected with coronavirus, based on current data. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC)’s website is the best source for up-to-date information, as well as the Texas Health and Human Services' coronavirus information page.

You can protect yourself and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the following ways:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

South East Texas Info provides a “one stop shop” with links that will enhance information delivery regarding Covid-19 (coronavirus).  You will find links to different county resources.

Contact: 

web: setinfo.org
phone: 409-730-4432
email: carol.riley@beaumonttexas.gov 

Visit the Texas Department of Human Services COVID-19 Case Count dashboard for more information across the state.

If you are experiencing symptoms (fever, dry cough, shortness of breath) or you believe you have been exposed to an infected individual, you can call the Southeast Texas Call Center at 409-550-2536 to be evaluated for testing.

The Call Center is open 24-hours, seven days a week. If you are looking for information about COVID-19, please do not call the Call Center. You can call 211 option 6 or visit setinfo.org.

Yes. Face masks are now required on the Lamar University campus.

In early July, Governor Abbott issued an order that requires face masks be worn in counties with more than 20 COVID-19 cases. In compliance with this order, anyone on the LU campus must wear a face mask while on campus, unless one of the following exceptions is met:

--Have certain health conditions that prevent wearing a mask
--While consuming food or drink
--Are outside where six feet of social distancing is possible
--Under the age of 10 years old.

The governor’s order states that violators could face up to $250 in fines. Individuals not wearing a face mask when required may receive a written or verbal warning for their first violation.

We ask for everyone's support as we implement this new requirement, designed to protect the health of the entire LU community.

The Cashier’s Office is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. To increase social distancing, only students who must pay in person (cash payments, international debit cards, etc.) should come to the cashier’s window. The university encourages students to use www.lamar.edu/pay to make all payments. Online payments can be made using a checking account or credit card. If you are paying your bill with a debit card, select electronic check as the form of payment and enter the bank routing and checking account number that corresponds with your debit card. 

Students needing additional time to make payments can enroll in the Emergency Deferment Plan or Installment Plan by going to www.lamar.edu/pay. Enrolling in either plan is ONLINE ONLY. No applications will be accepted at Cashier’s window. Please contact the Cashier's Office if you have any questions at cashiering@lamar.edu or 409-880-8390.

• Visit the LU Tech Support website (www.lamar.edu/its).
• Call the service desk for assistance at 409-880-2222. If additional assistance is required walk-in assistance will be available upon request.

STAR Services staff members are available via their normal LU email addresses. To request a service, complete the appropriate form at: https://www.lamar.edu/student-tutoring-and-retention/. Additional online tutoring services can be accessed through Smart Thinking through Blackboard. Simply click on the Smart Thinking link for more information and to schedule an appointment. STAR Services staff and peer staff will conduct LU Success and Tutoring appointments through Blackboard Collaborate.

After completing the appointment request form, STAR Services staff members will follow up to schedule your appointment and provide instructions on how to join the virtual meeting. 

Additional student success tips are posted on STAR Services’ social media accounts. 

The best way to contact our offices:
Financial Aid, financialaid@lamar.edu or 409-880-8450
Scholarships, scholarships@lamar.edu or 409-880-1714
Or ask questions to Chirp, our digital assistant, at https://www.lamar.edu/financial-aid.

If you are currently receiving Military Tuition Assistance, any current course enrollment that changes from resident to online delivery will not affect your benefit at this time. If you are receiving the GI Bill, current guidance from the Department of Veterans Affairs is to leave enrollment certifications as is. Guidance is forthcoming from the VA and we will continue to update this page as we receive official notification.

Additionally, many activated Guard members have access to the Internet to continue courses online. We encourage students to keep an open line of communication with their instructors in the event that you are activated. 

Yes. Campus offices have returned to their normal hours of Monday-Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm.

Certain specialized offices (post office, shipping/receiving, etc.) may have hours outside the standard 8:00am–5:00pm schedule. Call these offices for their hours.

Lamar University is taking every precaution and strictly following changing CDC and other guidance to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 to our employees on campus. LU's precautions include:

• Requiring face masks be worn in all buildings on campus and outside when six feet of social distancing is not possible. See exceptions to this requirement in the above question regarding face masks.
• Sanitizing and disinfecting common and high-traffic areas.
• Making hand sanitizer available, especially in areas where soap and water for handwashing are not readily available.
• Providing safety equipment to employees based on job responsibilities and OSHA risk levels.

Yes. Please contact Bert Wagner:

Robert (Bert) Wagner, Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Executive Director, Campus Operations
Lamar University

Phone: (409) 880-8474 
Email: rwagner3@lamar.edu 

University-sponsored travel should be limited, based on the university’s business needs. Employees requesting approval for business travel should submit a written request (email or print) to their supervisor. The request should include justification for the travel. Requests must be approved by the supervisor and either the Provost or Vice President for Finance and Operations (VPFO).

No international travel will be approved at this time.

For help with university-sponsored travel, visit the LU travel website or call (409) 880-8383.

Also, see the Procedures for Managing Travel Around Coronavirus (Covid-19).

For personal travel,  we urge you to carefully consider intended destinations and check on restrictions or quarantine measures that may be recommended or required by the CDC upon arrival or return.  Personal international travel is strongly discouraged.

• Minimize time in crowded areas
• Check the local news of your travel destination before departing
• Have multiple means of communication available to you when traveling
• Wash your hands frequently
• Stay hydrated and eat regular meals

The Office of Digital Learning has prepared resources to assist faculty in delivering courses online, or to alternative instructional methods for laboratory and clinical courses if required. Go to https://luonline.blackboard.com and at the bottom of the page under the Support area, find help for moving your courses to an online format.

Additional help:

email: blackboard@lamar.edu 
phone: 866-585-1738.

See the Academic Contingency Plan for more information.

Course Evaluations

End of Course Evaluations will continue as planned. Many LU faculty have transitioned to online teaching for the first time, and while doing so, many have made significant changes to the way they teach in order to foster ongoing student learning and student success.

Your collective efforts have been exceptional by anyone’s measure which stands as important reason for seeking meaningful student feedback across the curriculum. The students appreciate that many faculty are working outside of their comfort zone and the students are very appreciative. We would not want that extra work to go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Faculty who believe that technology has negatively affected their performance, should include a note of explanation with their annual evaluations or their tenure or promotion packets next year. It will then be incumbent upon their faculty colleagues to consider their perspectives in evaluation of others’ performance. 

Toll the Tenure Clock

Individuals who feel that COVID-19 and social distancing have seriously disrupted their progression towards tenure and/or their applications for tenure and/or promotion may apply to the Provost in writing for consideration of tolling the tenure clock (Faculty Handbook, Chapter II, Section 19.3.8, ppg. 59-60, January 2019). Decisions will be made on a case by case basis.

1. Enroll personal mobile device in LEA 2-step (https://www.lamar.edu/it-services-and-support/lea-2-step/index.html )
2. Install LU VPN client on laptops (LU-owned preferred; personal laptops allowed)
   ( https://www.lamar.edu/it-services-and-support/remote-access-service.html )
3. If remote access to your LU desktop computer is required contact your local technician or central IT service desk by:
   Access the IT service portal ( https://lamaredu.service-now.com/sp ) then click Request Something, Information Security, Remote Access and VPN Service.
4. Submit paperwork for any equipment that will be / has been taken off-campus.  ( https://www.lamar.edu/_files/documents/finance-operations/administrative-services/property-management/university_property_equipment_checkout_04-10-18.pdf )
5. In addition to the inventory management paperwork (#4), notify IT of any computers taken off-campus.  Access the IT service portal ( https://lamaredu.service-now.com/sp ) then click Request Something, Information Security, Remote Access and VPN Service.  In the description, please enter “The following computer (has been / will be) removed from campus: “ and include the campus location (building and room); new location; LU tag number, and computer name.

1. Do not share your username or password.
2. Do not leave your computer unattended.
3. Do not provide access to your work computer to unauthorized individuals such as your spouse and/or children.
4. Report any suspicious logins or activity to the IT service desk.
5. Do not store/save university work on personal devices or computers.  One Drive is available for storage of work documents (see 'What are commonly used tools to support socially distanced work')

• Web-based MS O365 email and One-Drive
  No VPN required
• Microsoft Teams
  No VPN required
• Remote Desktop – Access your LU desktop remotely
  VPN is required
• Checking Voicemail
  dial (409) 880-1890 and wait for the automated voice attendant, press “*” (star) and follow instructions.  Enter the telephone extension with asked for ID.
  No VPN required

• Adobe Sign: Adobe Sign is an e-signature tool that replaces paper and ink signatures with automated electronic signatures.  The following guidelines have been established for campus use: 

  1. Internal use only.  Adobe Sign is designated for use to support internal LU processes only.  Forms should be routed to and from LU email addresses.
  2. Not intended for contracts.  All official university contracts must be processed through the Office of Contract Management and follow established university policies and procedures. 
  3. Do not collect confidential information.  Since documents are stored in the Adobe cloud, please do not ask for or include sensitive or confidential information using an Adobe Sign form.  Examples of confidential information include social security numbers, credit card numbers and other PCI data, HIPAA data, and FERPA data.  The LU data classification standard is available for reference:  https://intranet.lamar.edu/employee/documents/internal-services/information-technology/internal-policies/data-classification-standard.pdf

  For information on how to use Adobe Sign please visit https://www.lamar.edu/it-services-and-support/adobe-sign/index.html. 

LU uses Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Adobe Connect and Microsoft Teams for web conferencing. In addition to these, Zoom has seen an uptake in adoption – primarily because of a free version of the tool. However, we have also seen recently that Zoom has become a target for attackers. A type of attack, known as “Zoombombing” has arisen whereby uninvited guests can interrupt and access content in a meeting. This is due to an incorrect meeting security setting.

To promote security in web conferencing, please review the following information:

Blackboard Collaborate: https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Moderator/Moderate_Sessions/Session_Best_Practices

Adobe Connect: https://helpx.adobe.com/adobe-connect/using/attendees.html

Microsoft Teams: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/change-participant-settings-for-a-teams-meeting-53261366-dbd5-45f9-aae9-a70e6354f88e

Zoom: https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2020/03/20/keep-uninvited-guests-out-of-your-zoom-event/

In addition, keep in mind these general security tips:

• As a rule, do not generate and share "public" meeting invitations on social media
• Do not exchange sensitive information on public meetings
• Make sure share mic, share video and share screen are turned off by default
• Other than the host, everyone should have permissions of participant
• If you set up a personal Zoom account, do not use your LEA password as your Zoom password
• Remember to clear out chat content between meetings
• Keep the software used for web conferencing up to date
• Do not click on meeting links you weren’t expecting. The links can install malware, damage your computer, or compromise information.

1. Department head submits a service desk ticket or email with a list of the personnel that are approved to have their phone forwarded.  The ticket must include for each employee:  employee name, extension, number to be forwarded to, supervisor’s name, and supervisor’s extension….all on one ticket.
2. Suggested Cell Phone Greeting:
   “You have reached the phone of “……..”. Please leave your name, callback number, and the reason for your call and I will call you back as soon as possible. Thank you.”

1. Instructions are available by clicking next to each item above.
2. Visit the LU Tech Support website (www.lamar.edu/its).
3. Call the service desk for assistance at 409-880-2222. If additional assistance is required walk-in assistance will be available upon request.