COVID-19 FAQs

The health and safety of our DTS students, faculty, and staff is of primary concern and therefore it is imperative DTS be able to track any active cases that have occurred on campus, or within proximity of any DTS students, faculty, or staff. Please complete the self-reporting form if you meet any of following circumstances (whether symptomatic or asymptomatic):

1. You have been exposed to someone proven to have COVID-19
2. Your doctor believes you are positive for COVID-19 and is treating you as such
3. You have tested positive for COVID-19

Your information will be kept confidential and you will not be mentioned by name in any correspondences.

Temporary Chapel Changes

Chapel Format

DTS will offer live chapel sessions for a limited number of students, staff, and/or faculty from August 25 through November 13. In accordance with the seminary’s Preventative Health and Safety Policies and Protocols for Fall 2020, we have implemented several steps to ensure that attendees are as safe as possible. These include required pre-registration of attendees, one-way entrance/exits, socially-distant seating, and the requirement of attendees to wear masks. Those unable or uncomfortable attending chapel in person may view a live stream of the service at dts.edu/live or a recording at voice.dts.edu/chapel. Please visit our chapel webpage for more information. 

Chapel Attendance

In light of the unique circumstances created by COVID-19, DTS is waiving all chapel requirements for the fall 2020 semester.

Permanent Chapel Changes

Chapel Duration

Each chapel service is being extended by 10 minutes. The new 50-minute services from 10:40–11:30 A.M. will allow the seminary more time for prayer, singing, and other worship related activities.

Chapel Days

For decades, DTS has offered chapel services Tuesday–Friday during the fall and spring semesters. However, student patterns have changed, and fewer students are on campus on Wednesdays. In light of this, chapel services will now be offered three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We will also continue to offer select evening chapels as needed in order to minister to our students taking courses at night. Furthermore, in order to give more time to students to prepare for the end of the semester, chapel will discontinue services one week before finals each fall and spring. Please consult the chapel schedule each semester for exact dates.

You have two options: (1) you can take an “OL” courses which is composed primarily of pre-recorded videos that can be watched by the specified deadline. (2) You can join a traditional course (A, B, HO, DC, etc.) through video conferencing. All courses will have a video conference link posted in Canvas, and you can choose to attend that way at any time in the semester. Please let your professor know you the dates you will not be attending in person.

Yes, no matter where you live, you can register for any class in Dallas, Houston, or DC for Fall 2020 and attend remotely via video conferencing provided you are able to be a part of the class at its regularly scheduled time (The one exception to this is PM5103, PM5104, and PM5110 which require in-person attendance). If you need more flexibility in your schedule, it may be better to register for an online (OL) section of a course which includes pre-recorded videos that can be watched at whatever time is best for you.

No. You may join an in-person course through joined video conferencing, but these sessions will not be recorded if you miss the scheduled time. If you need more flexibility in your schedule, it may be better to register for an online (OL) section of a course which includes pre-recorded videos you can watch at whatever time is best for you.

No. As long as you maintain the number of hours specified in your scholarship award letter, your scholarship will not be affected.

Some courses, including all sections in DC and some in Dallas, Houston, and our extension sites, will not meet in person all semester and will instead meet online through video conferencing. These courses will keep their section code (A, HO, GA, etc.), but the Room will be noted as “VC” on the Fall 2020 schedule page.

While some of our professors are still adapting to teaching online, we want to make sure our students are being served well. Obviously we want you to reach out to your professors as a first line of communication. However, if you are not hearing from your professors, then the next step is to contact the department chair:

• Bible Exposition:Dr. Bramer
• Biblical Counseling: Dr. Dickens
• Educational Ministries and Leadership: Dr. Sedwick
• Media Arts and Worship: Dr. Grant
• New Testament: Dr. Smith
• Old Testament: Dr. Chisholm
• Pastoral Ministries: Dr. Murphy
• Theological Studies: Dr. Svigel
• World Missions and Intercultural Studies: Dr. Ortiz

As a last resort you can contact the Academic Dean’s Office, but make sure you gave the department chair’s adequate time to respond.

The Agape Project office would love to collaborate with you and develop a way for you to complete your project You might not be able to continue serving within the same organization, or in the same capacity, but there are other options. Talk to your organization to see how you can help them digitally. Do they have a blog? Website? What is their social media presence like? If you do not know how to complete your volunteer hours, contact Aaron Switzer – email: aswitzer@dts.edu or phone: 214-887-5395.

We have put together a page: DTS technology for students. This page will continue to be updated as needed to provide resources, tutorials, and helps. Remember to reach out to your professors if you have questions about specific items for your courses.

Yes, the government has made allowances for international students when classes need to be moved online for the COVID-19 pandemic. Please email the International Student Office if you have any questions about your F-1 or J-1 visa.

If you do so, if you are on a F-1 or J-1 Visa and plan to travel outside the United States, please make sure to email the International Student Office. They need to ensure your immigration documents are in order, so you can return to the United States if you plan to come back to the United States to finish any of your classes.

All Spiritual Formation groups will follow the same plan as other classes. For questions, contact your group leader or email Spiritual Formation.

Make sure you are in contact with your DTS-based Internship Coordinator to discuss your options for fulfilling your internship and if changes need to be made. If you have questions about completing your internship, please email us.

First, let your professor know you are sick (and notify DTS’s Coronavirus team). Your professor will work with you to adjust assignments dates within the semester. If your illness persists beyond the end of the semester, then use the form titled Credits Committee Petition found on students.dts.edu to file for an extension.

DTS has put certain thresholds in place to respond proactively to significant increases of COVID-19 cases at any DTS location:

• Transition to remote learning thresholds
  • DTS will move an individual section of a course to remote learning for two weeks if any of the following criteria are met:
    • A faculty member is diagnosed with COVID-19 
    • 2 students or 5% of a course, whichever is greater, are diagnosed with COVID-19 within a 14-day period
  • DTS will move all courses on a particular campus to remote learning for two weeks if:
    • 5% of the student body taking in-person courses on a particular campus are diagnosed with COVID-19 within a 14-day period
• Transition to lower staffing level thresholds
  • DTS will adjust employee staffing levels on a particular campus for two weeks if:
    • 5% of employees are diagnosed with COVID-19 at any time within a 14-day period

In order to accurately monitor and respond in a proactive manner to COVID-19 cases within our DTS family, we rely on employees and students to self-report at www.dts.edu/selfreport.

Masks are required to be worn on DTS property at all times and in all classrooms, common areas, points of entry or exit, or in any location where other people are present or where you cannot control who you come in contact with. Exceptions to this rule would be if you are in your own residence, office, or enclosed workspace, or in an empty common area.

DTS recommends that students, staff, faculty, and visitors wear masks that meet or exceed the most recent CDC guidelines on masks. We also strongly recommend that washable masks be laundered frequently. More information can be found on the DTS Mask Policy page.

All campuses are following the same closures right now. Should any of their regional or state governments enact stricter measures than Dallas, those campus must follow the most stringent guidelines.

1. Shelter-in-place: This term is now being used by the federal and state government(s) to indicate that people are being asked to stay at home as much as possible. People should remain in their homes and only leave for purchasing food, gas, or other essentials or for medical reasons. Health professionals, police, firefighters, and other essential service providers are still expected to go to work. Grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, and those that work at other “essential businesses” as defined by your city or state’s order are able to go to work as well. Going outside for a walk or exercise is allowed and even encouraged. But people are asked to keep their distance from others and maintain the CDC recommended social distance of 6 feet when in public spaces. Considering shelter-in-place orders are government directives, and often specific to a city or state, DTS recommends that you follow the official state/city order as it is written. DTS will be following the shelter-in-place order executed by Dallas County.
2. Quarantine: This term is for those who may have been exposed to the virus. The CDC recommends these people stay at home and remain in quarantine for 14 days. After that, people who still don't test positive for the virus no longer have to be in a contained environment, other than when issued by a state or local government agency (such as a shelter-in-place order). Some people may voluntarily choose or be asked to self-quarantine as a precaution because they may have been exposed to the virus.
3. Isolation: This term is used for people who have contracted the virus or suspect they may be infected. Those with the virus who need to be hospitalized will be kept in an isolation unit. People who have been infected with the virus may be asked to self-isolate at home if they have no symptoms or are only mildly ill. It's important to call your health provider, in any case, if you develop symptoms. Those in isolation should keep away from other people as much as possible. The CDC recommends that you use a separate bathroom, if available, wear a face mask when around others and don't share household items.
4. A good site for information on these different levels of social distancing is located on the Fox New's website.

DTS has begun reopening the campus. See the Plan to Reopen Campus.

Domestic Travel –Those who travel domestically and have had close contact with an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 are required to self-isolate for 14 days from the time of exposure to the virus before returning to any physical DTS location other than housing. Please follow the CDC’s travel safety suggestions while traveling to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Event/Conference Attendance-Those who attend an event or conference where masks were not worn and social distancing from attendees (who are not members of one's household) was not be maintained are required to self-isolate for 14 days from the date of the event before returning to any physical DTS location other than housing.

We have increased our frequency of cleaning and disinfecting. We are currently spraying a hospital-grade disinfectant on surfaces located in all public areas every morning and evening. And we are making sure our custodians move to different areas of the campus regularly.

Custodial services will be performing additional cleaning operations in our shared spaces to meet the recommendations of the CDC. They include:

1. Seven days a week cleaning
2. Cleaning of commonly used areas four times a day
3. Please exit and clear common spaces during cleaning

We have posted signage and placed posters indicating our new cleaning and disinfecting procedures and standards throughout the Dallas campus at various locations.

Until further notice the Mail Services department will operate as follows:

• Operating hours: Monday – Friday 10:00am – 4:00pm.
• Package pickup for housing residents.
• Mail pickup for staff that live on campus or are close to campus.
• Campus packages are being held at Mail Services.
• Retail will be on an as needed basis.
• Books and rolls of stamps are available until we run out.
• Social Distancing procedures have been put into place

Students should go to the emergency aid webpage.

We have an amazing counseling team ready to help. Our counselors are prepared to meet by phone or by webcam. Please go to Counseling Services to set an appointment with a counselor for free.

See the Luke's Ministry Page for hours and information. 

DTS has set up a Student Relief Fund to help those with critical financial need. In the coming days we will also communicate how to donate food and essentials. We are checking in with our students consistently to make sure they are doing okay, and we are ready to mobilize to help meet any tangible needs we can. Please contact Student Life if you are interested in donating food or other essential items.

Please contact Student Life if you need food or other essential items, and we will connect you with resources in the community.

Mandarin Chinese and Spanish translations are available (the two most spoken languages on campus besides English). Our International Student Office has been communicating with our international students throughout this entire process (in partnership with our Chinese and Spanish program staff). If you are aware of an international student who has questions or concerns (or if you are an international student with questions or concerns), please email the International Student Office.

1. We will be hosting various online prayer times using Zoom and you will be provided with a Zoom link via email shortly.
2. If you have a prayer request, please send it to our prayer team. We have a dedicated team of prayer warriors who want to pray for you. Also, the DTS faculty pray specifically for our students during their scheduled weekly prayer meetings.
3. We have also posted a series of “best of” chapels for students’ spiritual enrichment.
4. If you would like to just chat with a member of our pastoral care team, they are ready to offer a listening ear and prayer. Please contact Student Life, and we will schedule an appointment with you by phone or webcam.
5. If you currently don’t have a church home, please contact Student Life, and we will help connect you with a church in your area.
6. Your Spiritual Formation groups is a great place for spiritual support. If you are currently in a Spiritual Formation group, please reach out to your group leader and members. If you are not currently in a Spiritual Formation group and would like to be in one for this fall, please email the Spiritual Formation Office. They will be happy to explain the entire process.

The Baylor Fitness Center has reopened on a limited basis.

DTS is one of the registered non-profits that Amazon allows to participate in Amazon Smile.  All you have to do is go to smile.amazon.com and choose “Dallas Theological Seminary”. After that, anytime you place orders on Amazon Smile they will donate .5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to DTS or any of your chosen non-profits.

Unfortunately the Children’s indoor playroom is not open due to Covid-19. DTS has hired an individual to keep the play area clean but maintaining the proper cleanliness standards during a pandemic is not possible at this time. As soon as the infection rates in Dallas County warrant, we will reopen the play area.

Masks are required to be worn on DTS property at all times and in all common areas (including the library, common rooms in Swiss and Washington, outside areas, and laundry rooms), points of entry or exit, or in any location where other people are present or where you cannot control who you come in contact with. Exceptions to this rule would be if you are in your own residence, office, or enclosed workspace, or in an empty common area. See DTS's Mask Policy page for more details.

• Housing will allow a small number of guests into the building to help load or unload a residents belongings, however, they must wear a mask.
• Anyone in your "moving party," even neighbors from within the building, must wear a mask while helping you move.

• Out of an abundance of caution, subleases for both Swiss and Washington Hall are suspended for this summer. As the State of Texas reopens, this policy will be reevaluated for the Fall.
• The order for Shelter-in-Place by Dallas County prohibits short-term rentals of permanent residences (see below):
  "xiii. Short-Term Rentals. Short-term rental of all or part of a residential property to a person who is not a permanent resident is prohibited."
• We know it can be tempting for some to "take matters into your own hands" on this sort of thing, but we encourage you to honor the county order and not put the health and safety of the building at risk.
• Again, as the State of Texas reopens, this policy prohibiting subleasing will be reevaluated by DTS for the Fall.

As a benefit to all residents, the public spaces have remained open but are limited by the occupancy signs noted, and per the shelter-in-place order, residents must abide by social distancing protocols. However, if any public spaces, including the pool, become overcrowded as defined by the order, DTS will close them. The capacity for the living spaces and the public areas based on the order, are calculated and will be posted outside of all public areas. Any areas that are not being used according to the order will be closed.

Residents of Washington Hall and Swiss Tower are no longer restricted from having guests to their apartment, provided that guests and residents wear masks and observe all social distancing practices.

Currently no residents have indicated they have the COVID-19 virus. However, DTS recommends anyone who believes they are sick with or have been exposed to coronavirus to follow the CDC guidelines and immediately consult their healthcare provider as well as notify the DTS Coronavirus Team.

There may be a limited number of empty rooms available in campus housing. Please contact the housing department to discuss. The housing manager will know what is available.

We have increased our frequency of cleaning and disinfecting. We are currently spraying a hospital-grade disinfectant on surfaces located in all public areas every morning and evening. And we are making sure our custodians move to different areas of the campus regularly.

Custodial services will be performing additional cleaning operations in our shared spaces to meet the recommendations of the CDC. They include:

1. Seven days a week cleaning
2. Cleaning of commonly used areas four times a day
3. Please exit and clear common spaces during cleaning

We have posted signage and placed posters indicating our new cleaning and disinfecting procedures and standards throughout the Dallas campus at various locations.

While all ages are vulnerable to COVID-19, we recognize children need to get outside. Please follow the CDC guidelines, practice social distancing, and limit groups to less than 7 people. It is important to realize that even in groups, the CDC still recommends keeping 6 feet of distance between non-family members.

It is up to each person and family to disinfect shared bikes and toys. This would be a “use at your own risk” item. Again, follow CDC guidelines and wash your hands after using the bikes.

Residents should continue to use common areas but follow CDC guidelines on social distancing. DTS has increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting common areas. We would request that tenants use wisdom and caution on the common areas.

The CDC still believes it is safe to have food delivered and for people to eat food cooked by others. When making a delivery to a neighbor, please use good judgement and do your best to practice social distancing when possible.

If using a delivery service, please copy and paste the following line into the delivery instructions:
“My apartment building is a closed-access residential high-rise. Please call or text [your number here] when you arrive, and I will meet you at the front door to retrieve my items.”

1. If you are self-isolating or in quarantine due to illness, please have a neighbor meet your deliverer at the Lobby entrance to retrieve your groceries.
2. Please do NOT allow any service personnel access to the residential portions of our buildings. If you do not have a neighbor or friend who can retrieve the delivery for you, do not hesitate to reach out to your apartment managers for assistance.