Coronavirus

Good Afternoon Faculty and Staff,

I hope everyone had a great end to the academic year. As much as we would all love to leave the pandemic behind us, we are continuing to have COVID issues at both campuses. Since June 1^st, we have had 29 employees who were either symptomatic or exposed to COVID, and 15 COVID-positive results among employees. I wanted to take a moment to review our current Oregon Tech COVID protocols, now that we’ve moved into summer.

Oregon OSHA continues to require notification to employees who have “closer contact” (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more, cumulative across 24 hours) with a COVID-positive person at the workplace and to notify those who have “passing contact” (less than 6 feet or less than 15 minutes). You may have received these notifications this past year, noted as an “Exposure Notice” and “Affected Notice”, respectively. We are required to provide these notices to employees within 24 hours of learning about the COVID-positive person who was on campus. Because Oregon OSHA as not yet rescinded this requirement, Oregon Tech will continue to perform contact tracing for both students and employees. The Integrated Student Health Center (541-885-1800) will continue to be the point of contact for all COVID-related issues.

• If you test positive for COVID, please contact the Integrated Student Health Center immediately to discuss your timeline for return and to engage in the contact tracing process. If you test positive on a home-kit or rapid test, that is sufficient; there is no need to confirm with a PCR test.
• If you are exposed to someone with COVID, please contact the Integrated Student Health Center immediately to discuss your next steps. Whether or not you need to quarantine depends upon your vaccination status, per the current CDC guidelines, which Student Health will review with you.
• If you are sick, please stay home. If you call in sick, please follow your department guidelines for notifying your supervisor and then contact the Integrated Student Health Center (541-885-1800). You will be given the option of obtaining a Return to Work Letter from your physician or obtaining a PCR COVID test before being cleared to return to work. Please note that you are still required to notify Student Health so that they can provide you proper guidance; Sarah from Human Resources is helping to work with ill employees, so the Student Health Center will take your information while Sarah may follow-up.

If you are a faculty member teaching in person summer courses, please review this protocol and expectations with your students. If you have summer student employees, please review this protocol and expectations with them.

We will review these protocols prior to the Fall term, taking into consideration any changes on behalf of Oregon OSHA and other national and state guidance. If you have any questions about current employee COVID protocols, please contact Sandi Hanan in Human Resources (541-885-1074).

Enjoy your summer, but please continue to be diligent in your efforts to remain safe and healthy.

Thanks,
Erin

Erin M. Foley, Ph.D.
Vice President & Dean of Students

Oregon Tech Community,

Welcome to spring term!

As you are aware, there have been several changes recently with regards to COVID guidance from both the CDC and OHA. I am writing today to explain how these changes impact our processes here at Oregon Tech. The following applies to all members of the campus community, both students and employees.

Things that have changed at Oregon Tech

• Face coverings are now optional at all campuses, with the exception of healthcare services (including the ABA clinic, the Dental clinic, and ISHC)
• Weekly testing has been suspended indefinitely

Things that have remained the same at Oregon Tech

• If you are having any symptom that is unusual for you, stay home and do not come to campus/class.
• Contact Student Health if you 1) have any symptoms, 2) have had an exposure to a COVID-positive person, or 3) have tested positive for COVID (541-885-1800).
• Student Health will continue to conduct contact tracing for both students and employees, so you may be asked to quarantine or isolate depending upon your situation.
• Faculty will continue to be notified if a student will be missing class/labs for a COVID-related reason. As before, they will not be given specific details, but will be provided with an estimated range of dates for the absence.
• Employees will continue to receive Affected Notices (if they may have had passing contact with a COVID-positive person while at the workplace) or Exposure Notices (if they had close contact with a COVID-positive person while at the workplace). Oregon OSHA continues to require that these be sent within 24 hours or our learning of the potential exposure, so please cooperate with Student Health if you are contacted so we can send the notices in a timely manner.
• The COVID vaccine requirement remains in place for the Spring term - please see the website here:  https://www.oit.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement for more details.

As we have encouraged throughout the pandemic, please continue to make healthy choices so that we can minimize the impact on the campus community - maintain physical distancing when possible, cover your cough/sneeze, wash your hands regularly, and if you do not feel well, stay home and contact Student Health.

If you have any questions about the impact of the COVID guidance changes, you can contact:

Dr. Erin Foley  (541-885-1011)- with questions about protocol and COVID response

Sandi Hanan (541-885-1074) - with questions about employee-related issues

Sarah Henderson-Wong (541-884-1028) - with questions about employee COVID leave

Gaylyn Maurer (541-885-1800)- with questions about symptoms, exposure, or contact tracing

Happy spring term!
Stay well,
Erin

Erin M. Foley, Ph.D.
Vice President & Dean of Students

Oregon Tech Community,

Dead Week is over and only Finals Week remains! Hang in there -- the end of the term is in sight!

As announced on Wednesday, the campus mask mandate will end at the conclusion of winter term.  Please wear a mask through Friday of next week. Upon the start of spring, it is an individual decision to wear a mask and everyone should be supportive of each person's decision.

Taking actions to protect yourself is still strongly encouraged: get vaccinated (or boosted), wear a mask if you have underlying medical conditions or live with someone who does, and wash your hands regularly.

Although the COVID numbers are much lower this week, cases of enterovirus, norovirus, and flu on campus have been reported. These viruses have similar symptoms to COVID so the expectation of staying home and calling Student Health at 541-885-1800 remains in place for all students, faculty, and staff members.

COVID numbers

Since last week’s update, there are 5 new positive cases (all KF students; down from 11 new cases last week) for a total of 393 reported cases since January 3. Currently, 3 KF students and 3 employees are in isolation/quarantine.  The numbers in isolation/quarantine are down from a total of 19 last week to 6 currently. 

Mandatory testing of unvaccinated students and employees will be suspended indefinitely starting the week of March 21.  A weekly test is still needed next week (submit by noon on Tuesday).

Please stay up to date with your COVID vaccinations per the CDC guidance which now includes the booster.

Reminders

Please remember to set your clocks forward one hour Saturday night for the start of daylight savings time.

Good luck on final exams and then enjoy your spring break!

Stay well,
Erin

Erin M. Foley, Ph.D.
Vice President & Dean of Students

Dear Oregon Tech Community Members, 

Earlier in February, Oregon health officials announced that Oregon will be rescinding the state’s indoor mask requirements beginning on March 12.

Based upon this information, Oregon Tech is lifting our campus mask mandate at the end of winter term, with masks no longer required beginning March 19. Based on information from OHA, this applies to all university students, faculty, staff, and visitors regardless of vaccination status. Please see the attached FAQs.

While Oregon Tech will no longer require masks, it is important that our campus community recognizes that it is now an individual choice to continue to wear a mask and those individuals should be free from judgment and criticism. Anyone may choose to wear a mask for any reason. Individuals are strongly encouraged to continue to wear a mask if they are unvaccinated, immunocompromised, have underlying medical conditions that put them at higher risk of complications, are 65 or older, or live with someone in one of those categories. All should be positively supported by all campus members. Masks will continue to available around campus. OHA still requires masks in healthcare settings which includes the Student Health Center, Dental Clinic, and ABA Clinic.

We will continue to remind everyone to follow COVID precautions, including washing your hands frequently, monitoring your health and symptoms. Please also continue to contact Student Health at 541-885-1800 if you have symptoms (any symptoms, not just COVID), an exposure, or test positive for COVID. Please stay home if you are not well.

If a new COVID variant emerges, Oregon Tech may need to respond with new requirements for our community.

Thank you for supporting our COVID response efforts.

Stay well,
Erin

Erin M. Foley, Ph.D.
Vice President & Dean of Students

Need a Mask?

Recently, Oregon Tech received a large quantity of N95 respirators (masks) from the State of Oregon to enhance COVID-19 protections for members of the campus community. Beginning on Monday, February 21st the university will be making these free masks available for the voluntary use of employees and students. Masks will be available to all Oregon Tech locations while supplies last.

Employees

Facilities Services will initially distribute two (2) boxes containing twenty (20) masks each to Klamath Falls campus mail stops.

Thereafter, work locations can request masks from Facilities Services by contacting Mercedes Harrington Messex at Mercedes.HarringtonMessex@oit.edu. When ordering, limit request to six (6) masks per employee per month.

The Office of Human Resources will also maintain a small inventory of masks for employee walk-up requests. Employees may visit the Office of Human Resources during regular business hours to receive a mask.

On-Campus Residents

Students residing in campus housing may stop by the Housing Office to receive masks.

Employees and Students

Employees and students on the Klamath Falls campus may pick up masks at the following locations during regular business hours:

Masks will also be available for employees and students in classroom and laboratory cleaning totes.

Portland-Metro Campus, Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC) and Other Locations

Mask distribution at the Portland-Metro Campus, OMIC and other Oregon Tech locations will be arranged and communicated by site administration. Site administration will work directly with Resilience, Emergency Management and Safety (REMS) to coordinate mask deliveries to those locations.

Resources

All employees and students are encouraged to watch this video from the manufacturer on how to properly wear the mask. In addition, review the manufacturers donning procedure user instructions.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Resilience, Emergency Management and Safety (REMS) at Doug.Tripp@oit.edu or Jason.Roach@oit.edu.