University of Idaho considers remote learning as an option as investigation continues

MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho President C. Scott Green spoke at the press conference with Moscow Police on Sunday, announcing the school’s response plan as the murder investigation of four students continues.

“The University of Idaho’s primary focus now is on supporting our students and working to meet their very needs,” Green said.

Instructors are planning for both remote and in-person learning, as COVID gave them a blueprint for how this could work going forward.

“The police continue to inform us that this was a targeted attack, but we recognize that this is not good enough for some of our students who will want to complete the rest of their semester remotely until the person who committed the crime is in custody,” Green said.

Meanwhile, Green has also heard from other students that gain comfort in the structure of class and being with friends and professors.

“I feel like I need to be back in Moscow because law school is very intense and I need to make sure I am completely focused on law school,” explained Jefferson Douglas, a University of Idaho Law Student.

Douglas admits, he’s on edge but his studies are so demanding, he can’t afford to be away.

“I was finishing up a paper for law school on Friday and I kept on looking around the house like someone was about to break in. I ended up feeling so uncomfortable that I went into my safe and put an AR-15 on my desk and wrote my paper right there,” Douglas explained told us.

This is something he’s never felt in Moscow. In the past, he was more scared of the moose that would venture onto campus. Now, things are much different.

“You look at people a different way wondering if they could be the killer. It’s an uneasy feeling in town,” Douglas added.

The University of Idaho and Washington State University will announce decisions Tuesday so families can plan their response over Thanksgiving Break.

Green also said the university has increased security patrols on campus, and the school has benefitted from increased Idaho State Police presence.

“They have been a very visible force and they will continue this dedicated presence on our campus into the foreseeable future,” Green said.

U of I will also continue its safe walk 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“All resident halls are locked 24 hours a day and only accessible by students that live in the building,” Green said. “We are making security our top priority. We are also planning a very real possibility that some students aren’t comfortable returning to campus. We will do our best to meet the needs of all students.”

READ: Moscow Police won’t release who called 911, but say it wasn’t the killer

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