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Find the latest information on the Coronavirus outbreak in Utah, including public health measures, contact information, news updates, and more.

USU's Plan For Re-Opening Includes Symptom Tracking, Contact Tracing

Nathan Blaylock
/
Pixabay
On Wednesday USU announced that it planned to transition back to in-person instruction for the Fall 2020 semester.

The Utah System of Higher Education’s new coronavirus mitigation plan was released Wednesday and cleared the way for Utah State University to resume in-person instruction for Fall 2020. On Wednesday USU announced that it planned to transition back to in-person instruction for the Fall 2020 semester. According to USU officials, the re-opening plan is flexible and includes multiple contingency plans.

“Utah State University has campuses located all across the state. So, it's important for us to follow both state requirements and recommendations as well as local requirements and recommendations for each of our campuses,” said Robert Wagner, USU’s Vice President for Academic and Instructional Services.

USU will be able to adjust its re-opening plan for each campus depending on local need. In addition, the university is ensuring that courses can pivot to remote instruction should COVID-19 spread at a campus. However, Utah State officials plan to work to contain the coronavirus and continue in-person instruction through symptom monitoring, testing, and contact tracing.

“We're working with the state to secure access to expanded diagnostic testing for each of our campus communities. In addition, we'll be deploying contact tracing. We are working on the details of those plans this summer, to certainly have them in place for fall,” Wagner said.

Wagner said that though the return of students to campus is exciting, the campus community must cooperate for the plan to work.

“Our students, faculty and staff will be responsible in following protocols so that we can all together ensure that we have a successful fall semester,” Wagner said.