COVID-19 Update: Town halls on fall plans

Here is the current information related to university operations and programs. The latest information is available on the UO Coronavirus website and FAQ page.

NEW:

  • President Michael H. Schill and members of the UO’s leadership, faculty, and staff will host a virtual town hall for students on Thursday, September 3, at 1 p.m. PT. The meeting will discuss the UO’s pivot to primarily remote and online instruction this fall, how the university will welcome the freshman class to live in campus residence halls and provide a meaningful first college experience. Submit your questions here.
  • A virtual town hall for UO faculty and staff will follow on Wednesday, September 9, at 4 p.m. PT, to go over preparations for fall term and receive employee feedback.
  • The University of Oregon Board of Trustees has approved the COVID-19 Health and Safety Operational Plan, a detailed blueprint of the measures the UO has implemented as it maps out its phased reopening in compliance with Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order for public universities.
  • The cloud-based file storage and sharing service Dropbox will be available to all UO students this fall. Students will receive emails to gain access to the UO Dropbox in groups of thousands per day starting on Sept. 8. Any student who hasn't received an invitation by Sept. 19 can activate their UO Dropbox account online. Any UO faculty members, staff or graduate employees who haven't yet activated their accounts can do the same.

REMINDERS:

You can reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19 by limiting the number of people with whom you are in close contact. Take the following precautions:  

  • Keep groups small and limited to only people you know.
  • Wear masks or cloth face coverings.  
  • Remember that exposure is defined as being within six feet of another for 15 minutes.
  • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after touching common surfaces. 
  • Don’t share drinks, vapes, or utensils.

RESOURCES:

GENERAL INFORMATION:

  • The Oregon Health Authority reports 26,713 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in the state, 717 cases in Lane County, 6,007 in Multnomah County, and 116 in Coos County on August 31. Fifty-two members of the UO community have tested positive.
  • The university continues to work in close coordination with the Oregon Health Authority and our companion institutions and agencies.
  • As a reminder, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outline some general precautions to minimize the spread of respiratory diseases. 

The UO is providing biweekly COVID-19 updates, on Mondays and Thursdays. Urgent information will be shared through direct emails.