Board approves UO's comprehensive COVID-19 plan

The University of Oregon Board of Trustees approved a comprehensive 58-page plan to safely operate the university during the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday.

County tonight.

The board of trustees at the university of oregon... approved a plan today... to deal with the pandemic for the upcoming school year.

As we told you last night, most students will start with remote learning in the fall.

Kezi 9 news reporter chris lueneburg is live in the studio to bring us up to date.

Matt, renee, this 58-page plan answers many more questions than we will be able to get to today-- it passed the board of trustees today, 13-1, student member kathrin wish-nia opposing-- citing concerns about freshman in the residence halls.

In the meeting today officials said that the priority is controlling risk before it becomes unmanagable on and off campus based on countywide stats-- and behaviour and resources available on campus... the university can adjust alert levels that dictate what spaces are open and how much in- person learning is possible.

When trustee jimmy murray asked what makes us different from other institutions who have reopened and failed-- here's what experts had to say.

We have de-densified the campus and are creating controlled environments on campus.

Will we succeed?

I don't know 100 percent.

We cannot guarentee anything at this time, but we are doing the best practices we can."

Trustee laura lee mcintyre asked about buidling up contact tracing teams and testing on campus-- they say they have their own lab for testing... and the students in the university's corona corps will assist lane county public health in case management.

Now that this plan has been approved, it need's to be submitted to the state by september first.

Officials say the plan will change as guidance evolves throughout the pandemic.

Amendments will be reviewed at each meeting of the board.

In the studio, chris lueneburg