by Ricardo Delgado
SAN MARCOS — Thanksgiving Break, lasting from Nov. 25 to 29, has some Texas State faculty concerned over a possible spike in COVID-19 cases after students return to San Marcos.
Feelings of unease over the eventually returning students were voiced in the Oct. 7 Faculty Senate meeting, after a potential plan to cancel spring break in the spring 2021 semester was pitched to the Faculty Senate by Provost Gene Bourgeois. Reasons given for the break include wanting to reduce the amount of COVID-19 cases spread through travel, a line of thinking quickly applied by some Senate members to the still-existing Thanksgiving Break.
Bourgeois cited the inflexibility of the fall 2021 schedule as the primary reason for not shifting classes or cancelling the break.
“The real reason for not doing anything with Thanksgiving is because that was part of the scenario planning that we had already made into our scheduled classes for the fall,” Bourgeois said. “We really can’t change the start and finish times of the semester that readily. It leads into when we start the summer terms. It leads into them when we trigger the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.”
Bourgeois also predicted a reduction in large family gatherings over the break, which would aid in slowing infectivity rates. Despite this, Bourgeois also said he knew students traveled home on the weekends regardless.
Senate member Jennifer Jensen suggested a possible switch to remote instruction after the break, so as to reduce the spread of COVID-19 without sacrificing the break.
“I think it’s optimistic to think a lot of students won’t travel and go to large gatherings with their family,” Jensen said. “But enough are going to. It seems like unnecessary risk.”
Bourgeois dismissed the idea of switching to an all-online format Thanksgiving, claiming many classes are almost completely online anyway, as well as citing the need to stick to the modality of classes once they are coded into a schedule.
“People have already paid for things,” Bourgeois said. “There are many faculty and [classes of students] who have reached agreements already. I’m not prying into those at all. ”
A sign indicating the city limits of San Marcos. Many students of Texas State University will be leaving the city’s borders to return to their families over Thanksgiving break, worrying some who predict the rise of COVID-19 cases due to the increased interactions. 
An atypically quiet Texas State Quad on a the Monday afternoon before Thanksgiving break. The quad has been less crowded than usual, on account of COVID-19 forcing many classes to move online. Whether or not the Quad will stay just as sparse depends on infection rates in the upcoming weeks. 
Sterry Hall, a dorm on the Texas State University campus, is being used to house and quarantine Texas State students as of late October. 
A side entrance at the Student Health Center at Texas State University at San Marcos. The pictured enterance is where those woshing to receive a COVID-19 test will enter. The tests performed are predominantly nasal swabs. 
A sign in the Alkek Library representing the capacity of rooms and areas within, as well as the implied safety level of the area labeled. Large indoor areas like Alkek are of some worry for some who fear keeping class in-person would only worsen the COVID-19 infection rate in San Marcos. 
Several Texas State students wait in line for COVID-19 test at the Curative testing stand located on the Quad on campus. The stand opened late September 2020 and offers free testing for students through an oral swab. 
Stripes cashier Ty Alonzo prepares to help the next customer behind plexiglass at the Stripes-Valero on Aquarena Springs. Many nationwide chains, such as Stripes-Valero, have implemented safety measures in many stores across the very towns and cities studentss of Texas States will return to. 
A card labeling a table needing cleaning and disenfecting at Stellar Coffee Co., in San Marcos. The coffee shop abides by the orders of Go. Greg Abbott, allowing shops and other commercial establishments to open at 75%. 
One of several hand sanitizing stations in a Target, located in San Marcos. Similar hand sanitizing stations are present in many buildings within the Texas State campus. 
Lisa McPike Smith talks with a prospective client in front of her ceramic kiosk at Wake the Dead coffee shop. In spite of COVID-19, some business have comprimised and adapted to the circumstances needed to stay afloat. Shops like Smith’s are present the penultimate sunday of every month at Wake the Dead.
