Oregon State University has announced plans to return in-person at its various locations, including the Cascades campus, pictured here in 2018.
Rob Manning / OPB
Oregon State University and Western Oregon University joined other public institutions in the state this week in announcing plans for a predominately in-person fall term.
Portland State and the University of Oregon had both already made similar announcements.
This comes after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown recently released an updated COVID-19 vaccine schedule which makes higher education employees eligible for a vaccine by May 1 at the latest.
“The significant increase in COVID-19 vaccine production on a national level and Gov. Kate Brown’s recent announcement detailing the distribution of vaccines among all Oregonians, including within higher education, are very good news,” OSU President F. King Alexander said in a statement. “These developments provide me with the confidence that we are on our way back to a more traditional fall term with predominately in-person instruction, on-site research, engagement and extracurricular programs and activities at our locations throughout the state.”
While Alexander expressed “confidence” in the fall in-person return, university officials are also expressing caution. OSU Vice President of University Relations and Marketing, Steve Clark, noted the return to fall is still contingent on a number of factors.
“It’s conditional on the state of the virus at the time that we begin to reach September. It’s conditional on federal, state and local health guidelines,” Clark told OPB. “It’s so up to all of us… to continue to participate in personal and public health members that, along with vaccinations, are essential and integral to public health safety.”
Western Oregon University also said Thursday that it will continue to keep an eye on safety protocols and guidelines, but it expects to offer an expanded range of course delivery options for students this fall.
“We are so looking forward to welcoming students and employees to campus in the fall, or earlier if vaccine distribution and state guidance allows, and we appreciate the sense of hope we are all feeling after a difficult year,” WOU Provost Rob Winningham said in a statement.
“For those who are eager to return to campus, we’ll have a full offering of class and campus life options. For people who feel safer at home for a while longer, course formats will be available for them as well,” Winningham continued.
“And, as always, we are prepared to respond if safety protocols change in Oregon.”