EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – The University of Oregon has announced it will operate primarily virtual classrooms this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports University President Michael Schill said Wednesday that first-year students will be welcome to live on campus.

But they, too, will do most classwork remotely.

He says it wasn’t an easy decision.

University officials said in the spring they hoped to open the campus and resume something close to normal operations this fall.

But an increase this summer of new virus cases in Oregon prompted administrators to back away from that plan.

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