I'm following the U of MN Regents Meeting right now where they will decide whether to delay dorm move-in by two weeks and start at least the first two weeks online-only. I will provide interesting updates and the result in this thread.

Dr. Michael Osterholm is giving a report to the board. One thing he just mentioned is that he's hearing more than 50% of students across the country are now refusing to be interviewed by contact tracers trying to learn the source of spread.

Osterholm also says they are seeing more "long-haul" COVID patients who are not recovered after 2-3 months. Fatigue and neurological issues in students. Wants students to know COVID is a big deal.

Osterholm talked about how testing is very imperfect. Someone exposed today will test negative day 1-2 then test positive day 3 or 4... then maybe continue testing positive day 10 after recovering.

U of M officials estimate $3.5 mil loss in food and dining in two week delay at Twin Cities campuses... About a $5 mil loss across all campuses with this two-week delay.

Regent RIchard Beeson is speaking now... believes the decision whether to go online for 2+ weeks should be separate from the decision whether to let students move into the dorms.

Now Regent Michael Hsu is speaking. He has been vocal about how he doesn't think UMN has good enough safety plan. Told me yesterday "it's weak and not nearly as robust as our peers."
He is bothered UMN won't be releasing covid info -- wants a dashboard made.

Regent Janie Mayeron says they've received a lot of messages from students and parents who say they are willing to "undertake the risk" of moving onto campus. However Mayeron says they should talk about it as risk to the community.

Mayeron also agrees the move-in issue should be voted on separately from the distance learning issue.

President Gabel says the reason they are voting on this move-in delay is because at other colleges (Chapel Hill) they've had to either lock-down students or send them home after an outbreak. Gabel says this delay saves them the cost and travel

Regent Mike Kenyanya talking about messages they've received from students -- who feel they got a "bait and switch" with this last-minute change.
Kenyanya says "getting this wrong means people dying."

Regent Sviggum with a good question for Osterholm, considering Osterholm's somewhat vague statements over the last few months that we need to "learn how to live with the virus" in the community. Sviggum asks "if that's the case why not move forward with precautions?"

Osterholm giving a very long answer........... not exactly clear...... but essentially says we are still buying time by limiting the toll of the coronavirus until a vaccine is here... he says we will get to the 50%-70% of ppl with protection hopefully early next yr w/vaccine

Now Sviggum makes political jab -- telling Osterholm to "call him sometime" and explain why Sturgis would lead to "end of world" with infections but widespread protests would not.

After all that, Sviggum says he supports President Gabel's resolution.

Question for Osterholm from Regent Darin Rosha: Would it be better to have students in cohort in dorm rather than living with older parents and still getting infected and spreading that way?

Osterholm doesn't address question directly, says students need to be responsible about avoiding spreading it.

Osterholm is emphasizing the risk of transmission to the community from students if they all move back to campus.

Regent Rosha says they should consider a considerable reduction to tuition if they go to all online classes. He says the value would be less than in-person schooling. @janashortal

Rosha adds that he does not support delaying the move-in or going to online only for at least the first two weeks.

Regent Randy Simonson agrees with Rosha's take that tuition should be reduced.

Osterholm keeps sprinkling very interesting tidbits about the coronavirus. Just now in a 15 second statement:
-There is a hint that there is a more transmissible strain of the virus out there
-Not concerned that vaccine won't work
-Convincing evidence Hong Kong person infected 2x

Regent David McMillon says he is inclined to support Gabel's proposal but wants an answer to the question, "What will another two weeks get us?"

*McMillan (sp) -- says need to take a closer look at Big Ten and local peers

Regent Kao Ly Ilean Her, whom I interviewed yesterday, calls the decision today a "lose-lose" but believes they have to go ahead with the delay.

Regent Thomas Anderson, who is from Alexandria, says their part of the state has a completely different look on COVID than the 7-county metro.. believes mental health has taken a toll on people as well. But Anderson believes have to err on side of safety. Supports plan.