After months of teasing a return to in-person instruction, UO announced plans on Wednesday for an almost-entirely online fall term. In a lengthy campus-wide email accompanied by a video message from University of Oregon President Michael Schill, UO made the predictable move I have been waiting on for months. 
As UO and Schill cited in the long-awaited email, much has changed in the months since they announced their goal of implementing an in-person curriculum for the rapidly approaching fall term. Obviously UO’s initial decision to hint toward an in-person curriculum was reckless and irresponsible. The administration had to know circumstances would change drastically, and its initial plans would inevitably become outdated. 
To be clear, I fully support UO’s decision to switch to predominantly remote instruction. This change is necessary and the only safe option in the midst of a global pandemic that has only worsened since the conclusion of spring term. However, aspects of this announcement are frustrating and confusing. I question if UO genuinely cares for its community, or if we are simply financial assets. As a fourth-year student at UO, I feel forgotten by the administration. Those of us who have already completed our live-on requirement are essentially no longer of use to the university.
Teasing in-person instruction could have just been substantial optimism from UO. But, it seems more likely that it was a ploy to string along potential first-year students that have not yet fulfilled their lucrative dorm requirements. I agree with UO and their statement that the value of a UO degree has not diminished. But the quality of a UO experience certainly has. 
I do not understand how living in a communal space with shared facilities is considered safe enough, but a socially-distanced in-person class is out of the question. I understand that there will be enhanced safety protocols to protect first-year students, but this plan is likely not sustainable. 
When I was a freshman in the dorms, I got sick more times than I ever have in my life. Frequent cleaning of shared facilities may reduce this, but I would never trust the 18-year-old version of myself entering college to properly follow every guideline while living without my parents for the first time. Furthermore, UO has not released a detailed plan of residence hall safety protocols. If I were a first-year student, I would have zero interest in paying full price for a potentially dangerous and undoubtedly limited dorm experience, coupled with lesser-quality online courses. On top of that, I would feel like I was living in a police state, where every action is being observed, and I am risking being sent home at any time. Also, resident assistants, like every involved party, are confronted with an unclear and impossible challenge. 
UO claims to have been monitoring the situation around the nation ─ staggering numbers of COVID-19 cases in addition to dorm closures ─ but you wouldn’t know that by looking at its actions that blatantly ignore relevant precedent.