OU Interim President Offers Insights On Phased Plan For Fall Campus Return

The University of Oklahoma is planning a multi-phased plan to return to normal life on campus. 

OU Interim President Joseph Harroz said because it has the resources, The OU Health Sciences Center will help screen faculty and staff for COVID-19 before they return to the Norman campus. 

The university's multi-phase reopening plan will start Monday. Operations staff will return to campus so they can get ready for the Fall semester. Shortly after, OU said research faculty that need access to the campus will come back. 

Harroz said since OU is online-only right now, it’s the perfect time for his newly formed task force to work with OU Medical doctors and experts to figure out the kinks in the reopening plans.

The Interim President said the task force will help establish testing, contact tracing, and other protocols to ramp up safety. 

 “We remain committed to returning to full operations this Fall, offering the traditional OU experience of in-person instruction and residential life” said Harroz in a statement. 

 So far, OU has only released plans for phase one. Harroz said he and his task force will release the other phase plans soon.