Expecting COVID-19 to keep students closer to home, universities nationwide braced themselves for a drop in enrollment this fall. But the feared decrease doesn’t seem to have materialized, at least not for Oklahoma campuses.
Oklahoma State University saw a 1.5% bump in enrollment, while retention hit an all-time high despite the challenges of a fall semester with a “hybrid system” of both online and in-person classes. The Tulsa and Stillwater campuses have a combined enrollment of 24,405 students, officials said.
The president of OSU’s Student Government Association wasn’t surprised that most of her classmates wanted to be on campus.
“So much of the college experience really depends on making your own decisions and being on your own away from home,” said Jaden Kasitz, who is double majoring in mechanical engineering and mathematics. “It is worth it to be back on campus for the community that it brings.”
The University of Tulsa, meanwhile, enrolled about 350 fewer students this semester than a year ago, but that can’t necessarily be blamed on COVID. It could be a normal year-to-year fluctuation, officials said.
A more notable change, and more obviously a direct result of the epidemic, involves where students are living. In 2019, 56.2% of TU stayed on campus. This fall, only 47% do.
OSU has seen a similar trend. This time a year ago, campus housing was 97% full. As of last week, it was only 89% occupied, a clear sign that more students want to avoid living in residence halls, officials said.
Likewise, the University of Oklahoma has about 1,000 fewer students living on its Norman campus this semester compared to a year ago, officials said. Enrollment, however, held steady at roughly 26,000 students, suggesting that the change in living arrangements can be entirely associated with concerns over COVID.
Tulsa Community College doesn’t have on-campus housing, but it has seen a 6.6% drop in enrollment over last fall. As with TU, however, it’s not clear how much of the decrease is related to COVID. But ironically, some national experts had expected community colleges to benefit from students wanting to avoid larger campuses.
“We saw decreases in most student categories except those students who were returning to finish their degree,” said Eileen Lally Kenney, TCC’s assistant vice president of enrollment management. “These are students who had left TCC without completing their degree and the circumstances are now right for them to return and finish. We also saw an increase in the number of concurrent/dual credit students who are taking advantage of the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school.”
Oral Roberts University hasn’t released specific enrollment numbers for this semester. But during a recent chapel service, President Billy Wilson told the campus that enrollment had grown for the 12th year in a row, despite the epidemic.
By the numbers
School: Fall 2020 enrollment/change from fall 2019
Oklahoma State: 24,405/+1.5%
University of Oklahoma: 25,905/+0.28%
University of Tulsa: 2,940/-10.6%
Tulsa Community College: Specific number not provided/-6.6%
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COVID-19 basics everyone needs to know as the pandemic continues.
How it spreads, who's at risk

Studies have shown many infected people show no symptoms or have symptoms so mild they may go undetected; those people can still transmit COVID-19 to About 20% of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 require hospitalization.
The disease can be fatal, especially for vulnerable populations: those older than 65, living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and anyone with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease or obesity.
Science of virus spread

COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person via respiratory droplets produced by an infected person. Spread is most likely when people are in close contact, within about 6 feet. A person might also be infected with COVID-19 after touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their face. According to the CDC, evidence suggests the novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces, though that form of transmission is said to be minor.
Transmission between people more than 6 feet from one another may occur in poorly ventilated and enclosed spaces, the CDC says, especially where activities cause heavier breathing, such as singing or exercising.
The infectious period for patients can begin up to 48 hours before symptom onset.
List of symptoms

The CDC recently expanded its list of possible symptoms of COVID-19. The symptoms can appear from two days to two weeks after exposure.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms and will continue to be updated by the CDC. One symptom not included is "purple toes," which someone may experience with no other symptoms, sometimes several weeks after the acute phase of an infection is over. The coloration and pain is caused by a lack of blood flow to the toes caused by excessive blood clotting, a late-stage concern with COVID-19 infections.
Kinds of testing

Those getting tested may experience different kinds of swabs. The viral test, known as PCR, involves a deep nasal swab that can be painful.
Other tests that require less-invasive swabs may produce results faster, but with less accuracy. These should not be used diagnostically.
It is not yet known whether COVID-19 antibodies can protect someone being infected again or how long protection might last.
The 'serious seven'

The "serious seven" refer to close contact environments where residents should take extra precautions if they choose to attend. The seven are gyms, weddings, house gatherings, bars, funerals, faith-based activities and other small events, according to Tulsa Health Department Director Bruce Dart.
Treatments being investigated

The FDA has allowed for antiviral drug remdesivir, previously tested on humans with Ebola, to treat more severe cases of COVID-19 in adults and children. Safety and effectiveness aside, preliminary studies have shown it can shorten recovery time for some patients.
After previously approving an emergency use authorization, the FDA as of July 1 cautions against use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for COVID-19 outside of the hospital setting or a clinical trial. A review of safety issues includes reports of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues, including blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure.
Convalescent serum therapy

Some patients are receiving convalescent serum, meaning the antibodies made by people who have recovered after a COVID-19 infection. Antibody-rich blood plasma is being given to severely or critically ill COVID-19 patients, including Ascension St. John, Saint Francis Health System, OSU Center for Health Sciences and Hillcrest HealthCare System in Tulsa.
From June to July, requests for convalescent plasma from the Oklahoma Blood Institute multiplied seven-fold.
Recovery, as defined by CDC

To be considered recovered (without a test), these three things must happen, the CDC advises:
- No fever for at least 72 hours (three full days of normal temperature without the use of medicine)
- Other symptoms improved (no more cough, etc.)
- At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared