[Farm93]

BC - I think most of us understand Santa Clara County will be a much safer place to spend the next ~6 months than most places in the USA.

However, if you are a 18 year-old freshmen, let's remember a few things.

You won't have a car, you likely were not planning on having one since we had a no car policy when you applied.
Unless you are from the SF Bay Area, you will not be near your family and your family will not be near you.
Your primary care physician will also not be near you.

So while your chances of avoid COVID are better here, what exactly happens if you get COVID while on campus?
You'd get shuttled off to a "COVID" dorm.
There you would be stuck with no relatives, no vehicle and without your primary care MD.
Hopefully everything is fine ~5-10 days later, but should you need more care you'd be very, very alone.
Even if you wanted to go home you probably would be stuck since you couldn't drive home (no car) or fly on a plane.

For the university there is a different concern that ties to your observation...
The positivity rate of COVID19 is much higher in other places around the USA. 
Those new students that have spent the summer in GA, FL, etc. are more likely to be asymptomatic carriers that would then quickly spread the virus throughout their dorm, their dining hall and any others they may see in the first several days.

[Farm93]

BC - I think most of us understand Santa Clara County will be a much safer place to spend the next ~6 months than most places in the USA.

However, if you are a 18 year-old freshmen, let's remember a few things.

You won't have a car, you likely were not planning on having one since we had a no car policy when you applied.
Unless you are from the SF Bay Area, you will not be near your family and your family will not be near you.
Your primary care physician will also not be near you.

So while your chances of avoid COVID are better here, what exactly happens if you get COVID while on campus?
You'd get shuttled off to a "COVID" dorm.
There you would be stuck with no relatives, no vehicle and without your primary care MD.
Hopefully everything is fine ~5-10 days later, but should you need more care you'd be very, very alone.
Even if you wanted to go home you probably would be stuck since you couldn't drive home (no car) or fly on a plane.

For the university there is a different concern that ties to your observation...
The positivity rate of COVID19 is much higher in other places around the USA. 
Those new students that have spent the summer in GA, FL, etc. are more likely to be asymptomatic carriers that would then quickly spread the virus throughout their dorm, their dining hall and any others they may see in the first several days.