The University of Idaho will remain open for now rather than transitioning to remote instruction for two weeks, according to a campus-wide email sent today.
On Monday, UI President C. Scott Green announced eight chapters on Greek Row had been placed in lockdown due to a COVID-19 outbreak on campus and the COVID-19 test positivity rate for the week of Sept. 19-25 was 11.94%, just over 7% higher than the previous week’s positivity rate.
Latah County broke its record for highest number of cases reported in a single day on Sept. 30 with 62 cases. As of Oct. 2, Latah County had 553 confirmed and 16 probable cases of COVID-19, 313 of which were active cases. Out of confirmed and probable cases in the county, 410 are 18- to 29-year-olds.
UI tested approximately 1,200 students and employees this week, according to the email. So far, results show continued spread in Fraternity and Sorority Life, but little spread elsewhere. Public Health – Idaho North Central District traced most cases to living groups and social situations, not classroom interaction.
While the university will remain open, instructors preferring to teach remotely can do so without additional approval by supervisors until Oct. 12.
“Students should remain in Moscow,” the email stated. “Online/remote class delivery is not an excuse to travel and increase our chances of infection. We have seven weeks until Thanksgiving, after which we will move to online-inly delivery for the remainder of the semester.”
UI’s testing efforts will be expanded next week, including testing all students, the email stated. Further details will be shared Monday.
Lex Miller can be reached at [email protected]
Adam
Good for U of I. Glad to see it's staying calm and giving in to fear like many other universities.
Mom of sorority freshman
Maybe suggest to house all Greek rows to rooms in residential halls for now. Till numbers go down. Seems to be just a Greek row problem right now. Also suggest to mandatory deep cleaning Sanitize, to stop breakout of covid In all Greek row homes on regular basis.
Redacted Commenter
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Scott Tudehope
Close down Greek Glow, and put in married student housing instead. Scott Tudehope BS Economics, 1979
Scott Tudehope
Close down Greek Row, Green. Forever. Scott Tudehope B.S. Economics, 1979