This page will be updated frequently throughout the summer as plans for fall 2020 are developed.

Please continue to check this page and watch your Oregon State email address for any updates related to on-campus housing and dining.

Plans for On-Campus Return

Updated June 30, 2020

Oregon State University residence halls and dining centers are open for summer session 2020 and we are planning to offer in-person services for the 2020-21 academic year, while continuing to prioritize safety and wellness.

All University Housing & Dining Services plans will align with Oregon Health Authority and local health authority guidance.

    

Cleaning and Sanitation

 

Updated July 15, 2020

Professional custodial staff members clean public areas and bathrooms in all housing and dining facilities daily. Enhanced touchpoint cleaning has been taking place in all UHDS facilities since Monday, March 2. Our cleaning standards and processes are in line with current CDC recommendations and we use disinfectants that meet the EPA criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2.

For summer session 2020, public restrooms and shared kitchens are cleaned and disinfected daily. Touchpoints in the residence halls are disinfected twice per day.

For fall 2020, community-style bathrooms in residence halls will be cleaned and disinfected twice per day. Touchpoints in all public areas of residence halls will be disinfected twice per day.

High touchpoint areas subject to enhanced cleaning in residence halls include (but are not limited to):

  • door knobs and handles
  • faucet handles
  • elevator buttons
  • soap dispenser levers
  • paper towel dispenser controls
  • light switches 

Additional touchpoint areas subject to enhanced cleaning in dining centers include (but are not limited to):

  • surfaces and edges of tables
  • handrails and backs of chairs
  • condiment pumps
  • water spigots
  • cereal dispensers
  • writing utensils used at ordering stations
  • refrigerator and appliance handles
  • Residents are responsible for cleaning their own bedrooms, and residents who are assigned to suites with in-suite semi-private bathrooms are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms.
  • For fall 2020, each residence hall room will be provided with a bottle of EPA-approved surface sanitizer and a micro-fiber cleaning cloth. Refills of sanitizer will be available throughout the year.
  • We suggest that students sanitize touchpoints within residence hall rooms daily.
  • We request that all residents, staff, and visitors wash their hands frequently, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds. Restrooms are available in every residence hall and dining center.
  • If situations where hand-washing is unavailable, the U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Extra hand sanitizer stations are available in all dining centers.
  • Learn more about hand-washing and sanitizing.

     

Physical Distancing & Reduced Density

 

Updated June 30, 2020

Until further notice, OSU employees, students and other members of the OSU community are required to maintain a distance of six (6) feet between individuals to the greatest extent possible.

  • For fall 2020, residence halls will not be filled to capacity in order to reduce the population density on campus and provide for greater physical distancing.
  • Students will have no roommate or one roommate for Fall 2020. UHDS will not fill triple and quad rooms to capacity.
  • Furniture within residence hall common areas has been arranged to allow for six feet of distance between individuals.
  • Residence hall events and meetings will be primarily remote throughout the fall term. Any in-person events will be restricted to appropriate gathering numbers, and require masks and social distancing.
  • Students will still receive one-on-one communication and support from UHDS staff. In-hall student and professional staff members will reach out to residents through a variety of means, primarily electronic. In-person communication will require face masks and practicing social distancing.
  • Move-in for fall 2020 will be a multi-day process to allow for greater distancing.
  • Students will be assigned a specific move-in time slot later this summer, based on their room assignment.
  • More information will be shared on our Move-In Guide page as plans are developed.
  • All food is being served to-go in single-use take-out containers.
  • Furniture and traffic flow within dining centers has been arranged to allow for six feet of distance between individuals.

  

Face Coverings

 

Updated July 21, 2020

OSU requires faculty, staff, students, and visitors across all OSU locations to use face coverings, which include masks, cloth face coverings, or face shields, when in enclosed public and common areas on campus, and in outdoor areas where physical distancing is not easily maintained, unless an exception is met.

Read OSU's face covering policy.

For fall 2020, each resident will receive a Beaver logo cloth face covering when they move in, as a supplement to their personal supply of face coverings.

  • Face coverings are required in dining centers while entering, exiting, and ordering. Dine-in seating is not available at this time.
  • Face coverings are required in lounges, hallways, kitchens, and other indoor public spaces in residence halls.
  • Face coverings are required in open areas of the bathroom such as at shared counter spaces and sinks.
  • Students may remove their face coverings when necessary for personal hygiene, such as brushing their teeth and showering.
  • Students  are not required to wear face coverings when in their residence hall room or suite with their roommate or suitemates.
  • We recommend wearing a mask if a visitor from another room or suite stops by.
  • We encourage students to think of their roommate or suitemates as members of their on-campus household, and to have conversations with roommates and suitemates about shared expectations regarding mask usage and physical distancing when interacting with friends who are outside their household.

  

Screening & Self-Isolation

 

Updated June 30, 2020

All OSU employees and students should regularly screen themselves for symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing a new symptom or who feels ill should stay home and consult with a medical provider.

  • We recommend that students bring a thermometer with them to campus and regularly screen themselves for a heightened temperature or other potential symptoms of COVID-19. Body temperature should be below 100°F/38°C without the use of medication to reduce temperature.
  • Please review additional symptoms and self-screening criteria.
  • Residents who feel sick should remain in their residence hall and contact their primary care physician, Student Health Services, or a local emergency medical care provider.
  • Student Health Services offers telehealth appointments.
  • Student Health Services is able to conduct a clinician ordered COVID-19 test for patients who meet testing criteria.  The cost of testing is $199. Testing is covered by all insurance carriers. The CARES Act provides testing free of charge to uninsured patients. For more details about COVID testing, please call SHS.
  • University Housing & Dining Services has set aside rooms on campus for students to move into should the need for self-isolation arise.
  • Students who need to self-isolate may use our Isolation Food Delivery Service, available through the student MyUHDS portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

For information specific to UHDS' COVID-19 response, please see these FAQs or submit your question below.

What if I decide to move out but I can’t get my stuff due to travel restrictions, quarantine, etc?

Updated June 25, 2020

What steps are dining centers taking to reduce the risk of COVID-19?

Updated July 20, 2020

  • UHDS dining centers are following all guidance from state and local health authorities, including increased cleaning of all touchpoints. In addition, UHDS restaurants are now serving all meals in single-use take-out containers so that guests may take their food to go and eat in the location of their choice.
  • To learn more about OSU-Cascades, visit its website.
What steps are residence halls taking to reduce the risk of COVID-19?

Updated July 20, 2020

  • UHDS is following all of the guidelines regarding residential campuses that the Oregon Health Authority and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission have put in place for institutions of higher education in Oregon. More information about the precautionary measures and practices can be found on the upper portion of this page. We understand that each family must make a decision on what they feel is best for their student as they plan their 2020-2021 academic experience.
  • To learn about OSU-Cascades, visit its website.
What if I’m feeling sick?

Updated March 18, 2020

  • If you are not well, remain in your residence hall and contact your primary care physician, Student Health Services, or a local emergency medical care provider.
What if I think I’m exposed but not yet sick?  Should I tell everyone in my room or floor?

Updated March 18, 2020

  • Please remain mindful of social distancing and if you develop symptoms contact the SHS Nurse Advice Line.
My roommate is sick, and I'm concerned about my own health. What do I do?

Updated July 20, 2020

  • Please talk to your Resident Director and they can assist with an emergency room change process to move rooms. You can also contact the hall staff member on duty by calling your hall’s duty phone.
  • To learn about how this works at OSU-Cascades, visit its website.
Will my student be required to isolate for 14 days upon arriving to campus?

Updated July 20, 2020

At this time, we are not planning to implement a mandatory student isolation upon arrival to campus, but will communicate with students if university policy changes.

To learn about policies for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

If someone is sick in my hall, what will be the procedure for isolating them?

Updated March 12, 2020

  • If someone living in one of our halls is diagnosed with this virus, OSU and UHDS will work closely with Benton County Health on our response protocol. UHDS has identified spaces that can be set aside for students to move into should the need for self-isolation arise.  Any health information that impacts the larger community will be communicated broadly and appropriately.
Can I change rooms during this time?

Updated July 20, 2020

  • Emergency residence hall room changes may take place in the fall. The process for requesting a non-emergency room change this fall is still be determined. Students can contact their resident director for more information.
  • To learn about policies for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.
When is move-in and what occurs during this process?

Updated July 20, 2020

Move-in is Sept. 18-22, 2020, in Corvallis. For a list of building move-in dates and more detailed information, please visit our move-in guide website.

To learn about move-in for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

Can we come early to move-in so we have time/space to social distance?

Updated July 20, 2020

Families will have the option to schedule a time prior to our main move-in days to arrive, move items into a room, and then lock the room and depart campus. We welcome students who live within driving distance of Corvallis or who will be in the area over the summer to take advantage of this option, which will provide more physical distancing than our main move-in days. Please visit our move-in guide website to learn more.

To learn about move-in for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

What steps are being taken to reduce COVID-19 risk to student in their residence hall rooms with a roommate?

Updated July 20, 2020

We encourage all resident to responsibly practice best measures to manage their health and help prevent the spread of COVID-10, such as washing their hands frequently, wearing their cloth face covering when in public places, and practicing all other health protocols shared by the Oregon Health Authority and the Benton County Health Department. Information about disease prevention is being shared widely and publicly around the Corvallis campus.

For more information about OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

Will the room cost be pro-rated since students should not come back after Thanksgiving?

Updated July 20, 2020

Students who choose to depart for Thanksgiving and not return until the start of winter term will have an opportunity to sign up and inform UHDS. Once we receive that information from a student, we will remove access to the building and credit back their week 10 and 11 room rate since they will not be on campus for those two weeks. The dining plan will not be credited, as any unused amount will roll over to the following term. Students have the first three weeks of each term to change their dining plan if they would like to do so, and we encourage students to be mindful of that as they look at their fall term plan.

To learn about policies for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

What if my child decides they don't want to live on campus at any point during the academic year because they have concerns about their health?

Updated July 20, 2020

Students who decide to cancel during the year can complete a cancellation request and will be subject to the cancellation policy in the UHDS contract.

To learn about the policies for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

If my student only takes online classes for fall term, can they cancel their contract to live on campus, and move on campus later when they take in-person classes?

Updated July 20, 2020

Yes, but if the student is a first-year student they must also have an approved exemption to the First Year Experience Live-on Requirement on file as well. Please see the Office of Student Life website for updates to the First Year Experience live-on requirement.

To learn about policies for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

Can I visit my student on campus?

Updated July 20, 2020

Families are more than welcome to visit their student on campus. Whether or not they can be in the residence halls after move-in is yet to be determined. Our guest policy within the UHDS Policy Guide is being reviewed and upon finalization, we will communicate updates.

To learn about visiting at OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

Is there guidance on students going home (travel) for the weekend?

Updated July 30, 2020

Students who travel home from campus on a weekend and come back should be mindful of all health guidelines put out by the Oregon Health Authority and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including staying away from others as much as possible and closely monitoring their health for 14 days. If COVID-19 symptoms emerge, contact Student Health Services.

While traveling:

  • Wash hands often.
    • Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in a public place, after touching surfaces frequently touched by others, after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing, and before touching their face or eating.
    • If soap and water are not available, bring and use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Cover all surfaces of hands and rub hands together until they feel dry.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with others.
    • Keep six feet of physical distance from others.
  • Wear a cloth face covering in public.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes.
  • Pick up food at drive-throughs, curbside restaurant services or stores.
Will University Housing & Dining Services waive cancellation fees in the event of a fully remote academic term?

Updated July 20, 2020

We will continue to work with our residents and monitor any changes to campus instruction as it pertains to on-campus housing. Although Oregon State is planning for a combination of both in-person instruction and remote instruction for fall 2020, OSU will continue to evaluate the public health situation.

If OSU is in a scenario in which instruction in fall 2020 is fully remote and the live-on requirement is no longer applicable, then we may pro-rate charges for students who decide to cancel their contracts.

Given the extenuating circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, for residents who elected to move out and not live with UHDS for spring term 2020, UHDS chose not to enforce many of its cancellation policies listed in the housing contract and UHDS Policy Guide.

To learn about policies for OSU-Cascades, visit its website.

Additional questions?

Submit a question about the UHDS response to COVID-19.