General Campus Questions:
Q. What is the difference between isolation, quarantining, and self- monitoring?
A: Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick. Quarantining separates and restricts the movement of healthy people who were in close contact with a sick person in order to see if they develop symptoms and become sick. Self-monitoring is doing a daily check for symptoms if you have had incidental contact with someone who became sick.
Q. When do I quarantine versus self-monitor if I have been around someone who tests positive for COVID?
A. If you have been in close contact with someone who is positive for an extended period of time, you will need to quarantine. For COVID-19, a close contact is defined as any individual who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
Incidental contact doesn't require that you quarantine, but you should self-monitor and use the daily health assessment tool available on the Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe page. Examples of incidental contact include passing someone outside, being more than six feet away from someone while everyone is wearing masks, being across a large meeting room/lecture hall from someone, etc. Questions or concerns about contact you may have had with a COVID positive individual, should be directed to the Cosiano Health Center.
Q. What do I do if I have COVID symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID?
A. Call Cosiano Health Center immediately and follow their instructions. You are also welcome to talk with your family physician, but for the sake of tracking the health of the campus community, you must also contact the Health Center.
Q. When do I have to wear a facial covering?
A. Anyone (including but not limited to all students, employees, contractors, vendors, suppliers and visitors) entering any campus building, including office buildings, academic buildings, recreational facilities, and housing facilities, must wear an appropriate face covering.
- The face covering must be worn in all classrooms, hallways, public spaces, and common areas, as well as office spaces.
- The face covering should fit snugly around your mouth and nose.
- The face covering should not have an exhaust vent.
- Face coverings are also required in outdoor settings if safe physical distancing (at least six feet) is not possible.
- In learning environments that require full facial visibility, an instructor may use a plexiglass face shield
Q. Will there be testing on campus?
A. Yes. The Cosiano Health Center can order testing if the individual meets the criteria for a possible infection. The cost of the testing will be incurred by the individual. Voluntary and walk-in testing is not permitted at this point.
Those being tested must stay in quarantine until test results are received (which could be several days), and must self-monitor twice daily for fever and symptoms.
Q. What are the restrictions or guidelines related to travel?
A: Employees should follow travel guidelines stipulated by the State of Ohio. University travel must be approved by the appropriate Dean or Cabinet member.
Students should follow travel guidelines stipulated by the State of Ohio. University-affiliated travel should be reviewed with the appropriate faculty/staff advisor. The faculty/staff advisor must seek approval from their Dean or Cabinet member before the student's travel can be approved.
Student-Specific Questions
Q: How will classes be offered this fall?
A: Classes will be offered in face-to-face, hybrid, and fully online formats. Some face-to-face classes may include altered attendance patterns, hybrid, or synchronous components that will help keep physical distance and meet student needs.
Q. Will I be able to participate in experiential learning classes, including labs and studios?
A: Yes. Labs, studios and other classes that use labs or specialized rooms will take place, following the University's guidelines for physical distancing and sanitization.
Q: If I do not wish to take my classes in person, what can I do?
A: Students who have a specific health diagnosis that qualifies them for a special accommodation, can request that accommodation through the Office of Accommodation and Inclusion. If a student is not comfortable with taking a class in-person, they should contact the Oiler Success Center to discuss options.
Q: What happens if I do not have a facial covering in class?
A: If you come to class without a facial covering or any documentation from the Office of Accommodation and Inclusion exempting you from wearing facial covering, the instructor will ask you to leave the class until you have a facial covering.
Q: Will there be campus activities this semester?
A: Yes, there are many activities planned for this semester and many more will be planned by our student organizations and other campus offices. All campus activities must abide by the guidelines set forth in the Oilers Start Safe and Stay Safe Plan.
Q: What happens if I have to quarantine during the semester?
A: If you must quarantine, you will be able to continue your classes remotely (either synchronous or asynchronous delivery, depending on the course). If you live on-campus, the University will relocate you to quarantine housing. During this time, the University will provide meal delivery to your quarantine housing. There will be no cost to residential students for quarantine housing and food.
If you live off-campus, you should quarantine in that location. If that is not possible, you may request a location on campus. If you are assigned a location to quarantine on-campus, the University will provide meal delivery to you if desired. There will be a daily charge of $15.00 for quarantine housing and meals for students who do not reside on campus.
While in quarantine, you shall not leave your quarantine location. Cosiano Health Center will stay in contact with all quarantined students to monitor your symptoms and determine when you can return to class and your room.
Q: Will live classes be held after the Thanksgiving break?
A: No. All in-person course activity and/or hands-on assessment must be completed prior to leaving for the break. Following the break, all courses and exams, including final exams, must be completed remotely for the remainder of the semester.
Employee-Specific Questions:
Q: When are employees expected to return to work on campus?
A: The University will resume normal operations on Monday, Aug. 10. Employees are expected to return to work on campus for their normal hours. Employees are encouraged to work with their direct supervisor if returning to campus is challenging because of health issues or obligations at home.
Q: Are employees required to use the daily health assessment tool?
A: Yes. All employees are required to use the daily health assessment tool to self-monitor each day they are scheduled to work. We also encourage employees to use the tool to track their daily health, regardless if they are working or not. The tool can be found on the Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe page and on the Oiler Mobile app.
Q: What happens if I must quarantine during the semester?
A: For faculty, if you are not ill, you will be expected to continue to teach your courses online, and, as much as possible, fulfill your other professional responsibilities remotely. All other university employees should work with their supervisor to determine expectations during quarantine.
Q: What happens if I become ill with COVID-19 during the semester?
A: Illness due to COVID-19 will be managed in the same manner that any illness requiring absence from work is handled.
Faculty-Specific Questions:
Q: Can I choose to deliver my face-to-face classes online?
A: No. Courses that are on the schedule as face-to-face delivery (having scheduled meeting times and locations) should be delivered as indicated unless the institution is required to move to fully online delivery or other approval is granted. Face-to-face classes may need to include hybrid and synchronous remote delivery to accommodate student needs. Faculty requests for COVID-19 Related Accommodations must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources. HR will work with the faculty member's department chair, and/or dean to evaluate employee eligibility to work from home or receive other accommodations as made in the request.
Q: What happens if a student does not have a facial covering in class?
A. If a student shows up to class without a facial covering or any documentation exempting them, the instructor is expected to ask the student to leave. The student may return to class once they have a facial covering.
Q: Is it required that I take attendance in my classes?
A: Yes. In the case of a student testing positive for COVID-19, it will be necessary to ascertain exactly which classes the student attended. Knowing whether or not a student attended a class on any given day will be important information. Additionally, it is highly recommended that students keep the same seating (as much as possible) throughout the semester.
Q: What is the disinfecting protocol for starting class?
A: Each classroom will be equipped with disinfecting wipes. Upon entering class, all students and the faculty member(s) should use a disinfecting wipe to clean their desk and seating area. This should be done at the START of each class, and faculty and students should not assume that the previous occupants cleaned the space. Faculty should allow three to five minutes for this process at the start of class.
Q: What is the protocol for staggered dismissal of classes?
A: In order to ensure safe distancing and avoid crowding in hallways during class transition times, faculty should allow time at the end of class (approximately five minutes) to stagger the dismissal of students in groups of 10 per minute. Students should avoid lingering in hallways and should move directly to more open areas.
Q: Can I conduct my office hours virtually?
A: Yes. However, faculty are expected to be available for their students, and faculty are encouraged to also be available to meet with students in person if necessary. Faculty offices may not be suitable for face-to-face meetings with students. In these instances, faculty may choose an alternative campus location, such as the library, AMU, CBSL, or other open area to meet with students.
Q: Can I hold live classes after the Thanksgiving break?
A: No. All in-person course activity and/or hands-on assessment must be completed prior to leaving for the break. Following the break, all courses and exams, including final exams, must be completed remotely for the remainder of the semester.