FAQs for Oregon Tech Students

Spring break will be extended one week: March 23 – April 5. Spring term classes will begin April 6 and ALL classes and labs will be taught remotely spring term from April 6-June 12. Faculty are working now to adjust their courses and labs and the additional week of spring break will help facilitate these changes.

Travel: The university strongly recommends that students, staff and faculty limit travel, particularly international travel or to areas of the United States that have high infection rates.

Returning: If you have been to areas with high infection rates, have reason to believe that you have been exposed to COVID-19, or have cold or flu like symptoms, practice increased personal hygiene and social distancing techniques as outlined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Please contact Mandi.Clark@oit.edu or call 541-885-1094 if you need to make arrangements to stay in campus housing during Spring Break.

The COVID-19 is a virus that causes mild to severe illness in the lungs.

• Symptoms: People who are ill with the virus may have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
• Incubation: With other coronavirus strains, signs of illness usually show up 2–14 days after a person is exposed to the virus.
• Transmission: The CDC has indicated that COVID-19 is spread through droplets from the coughs and sneezes of people who have the illness. If they cough on something or cough on their hand and then touch something, the virus might be on that object. If someone then touches that object a short time later, and then touches their eyes without cleaning their hands, that could lead to infection too. Cleaning often-touched surfaces with disinfectant helps prevent this.
• Treatment: Treatment for patients with COVID-19 is supportive care only. There are currently no known disease-specific treatments or vaccines.

The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 and reduce likelihood of transmission is to take the same basic precautions to prevent any flu or cold strain including:

• Thoroughly washing hands with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds
• Refraining from touching ones face
• Covering nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing
• Avoiding close contact (within 6 feet) of others who appear to be ill.

Many people with fever, cough, and mild illness can recover at home. They don’t need to seek medical care. If you are feeling reasonably well, you might not need to go to visit a clinic or hospital. That allows healthcare providers to focus on care of people who most need care. If you are unsure, please contact a health provider by phone to report this (such as your primary care doctor, local hospital or local urgent care facility; or Oregon Tech Integrated Health Center at 541-885-1800 if you attend Klamath Falls campus) and they will direct you to the right resources and/or medical site.

If you very ill or have trouble breathing those are important reasons to be seen. In this case, call 911 or call your doctor. Tell them if you have traveled to an area affected by COVID-19 or had close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19, within the last 14 days. If you let them know, they can take precautions and make a plan to see you without exposing others.

As soon you can, regardless of what site you are affiliated with, please contact the Klamath Falls Integrated Student Health Center at 541-885-1800 if you have been on a campus or teaching site within the last 3 weeks. The university will take the necessary steps to alert/safeguard campus or site authorities; and will contact local public health entities as appropriate.

Oregon Tech has assembled a response team that is developing and implementing (as needed) plans related to all known aspects of a university response, should one be needed. Oregon Tech prefers to be proactive rather than reactive in case such a closure becomes necessary. The contingency areas upon which the response team are focused include: academics – including teaching delivery; student affairs/life/residence halls and housing; business continuity; and communication with internal and external stakeholders. These areas will be examined from the perspectives of the different Oregon Tech campuses and sites, as response tactics may vary depending on the location.

Remember that just because someone has a fever or cough does not mean that they have COVID-19. Encourage them to call their health provider to determine whether they need to receive medical care. Try to refrain from being in close contact with anyone who appears to be ill, staying at least 6 feet away if possible.

Every situation will be evaluated based on the circumstances, and there may be a temporary closure of a campus for thorough cleaning and evaluation. Oregon Tech will inform the campus in a timely manner if there is a closure, and direct students how classes will be delivered during a closure period when that is possible. If needed, many classes can be taught remotely so that students can continue with their studies. Oregon Tech and/or faculty instructors will contact students with information about remote teaching during any closure.

Oregon Tech will use multiple channels to contact students, faculty and staff if there is a positive case with a student, employee or visitor who has interacted with others on one of our campuses/sites. This will include email, the Oregon Tech website, and social media. Although unlikely, if there is a campus closure in Klamath Falls or at the Portland-Metro campus in Wilsonville, Oregon Tech will use its alert system to notify students and the campus community by text, email and phone (go to Campus Alerts sign up to make sure all of your contact information is in the system).

The university takes health and safety of all its community members as highest priority, and is planning for a variety of contingencies in the event of a virus case on any of our campuses/teaching sites. University administration receives updates from the Higher Education Coordination Commission (HECC) and the Oregon Health Authority. The university’s Director of the Integrated Student Health Center (ISHC) is in regular contact with County Public Health authorities and participates in a weekly meetings facilitated by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) regarding COVID-19, and provides daily updates to the administration.

The Governor established a statewide response team and is communicating with the public universities, with regular information updates as the situation develops. They have asked for universities to cancel events and gatherings with more than 20 attendees; and are asking for social distancing to be put into use. Any new positive results in the state will be communicated to the public. The Oregon Health Authority is recommending that universities do not close for an extended period if there is a presumptive or positive case, but only close for a day or so to deep clean impacted areas. Oregon Tech will follow these state guidelines.

The Oregon Tech – Boeing campus is working to balance needs with information relative to the Seattle area and at the relevant Boeing facilities with the university’s support. 

Provost Joanna Mott will be providing information to students and the campus community very soon. If you have questions in the interim, please email Paul.Titus@oit.edu.

In the event of a positive case of COVID-19, the local public health department in your area will conduct a thorough investigation to determine who may have come in contact with the infected individual. The public health department will notify all potentially exposed persons as soon as possible. If the public health department contacts you regarding an investigation, please notify ISHC at 541-885-1800.

Students externships and co-ops will continue, and guidance will be updated on a periodic basis by the department, and the extern partner in consultation with the Office of the Provost. Provost Mott and the academic preparedness team will be communicating with program directors and the university regarding information about the impact of COVID-19, if any, on students’ placements. In terms of students protecting themselves, all healthcare settings have developed procedures for keeping their personnel safe, which they will share with students on site. Primarily, this involves wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriately, but each site will have instructions for students to keep you safe.

Yes, and you can sign up for email updates. The website is frequently updates with the most current information relevant to Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/DISEASESAZ/Pages/emerging-respiratory-infections.aspx..

For Klamath Falls employees, find county information at: https://www.klamathcounty.org/1041/2019-Coronavirus

For Portland-Metro and Salem employees, the surrounding counties all offer websites with information about the Coronavirus:

• Multnomah County
• Clackamas County
• Washington County
• Marion County

For members of the Oregon Tech family in Washington:

• Washington State Health Care Authority
• King County

Reliable resources for more information include:

• 211 info is now providing information on the coronavirus and will be able to answer many questions regarding the coronavirus, and to locate local resources. Call them on your telephone by dialing 2-1-1 or visit their website.
• Oregon Health Authority Emerging Respiratory Disease Information
• CDC COVID-19 Information
• CDC Travel Notice
• World Health Organization COVID-19 Information
• Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy