COVID-19 Safety & Success

Dear OSU faculty and staff,

Below are new resources and updated guidance for you to use as we transition in to Fall term.

Beaver Healthy Quick Reference Guide:

To help you quickly find information, guidance, and resources, we have prepared a reference guide, organized by OSU’s public health strategy categories. While the information in this guide is all accessible through the OSU COVID-19 Safety and Success website, these top twenty links are likely the most relevant to you, your team, and to students. You can find this guide linked from the front page of the Safety and Success website.

Positive Case Notification:

We have updated the Positive Case Notification guidance, providing step by step direction for students, employees, supervisors, and teaching faculty. Key to this guidance is consultation, and we have trained points of contact that will assist in determining what type of communication is necessary in response to potential exposure.

Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines:

Quarantine and isolation guidelines are different depending on if you are vaccinated or unvaccinated. To help simplify what you need to do if you test positive or have been exposed, we have created an infographic which is accessible via the Safety and Success website.

On-campus Testing:

Oregon State University, in collaboration with Willamette Valley Toxicology, is providing on-site testing on the OSU main campus, as well as at the OSU-Cascades campus. OSU employees and students, regardless of vaccination status, are welcome to obtain a test at one of these locations, pending supply and until further notice. Results from tests administered at campus locations will be provided from the processing lab to Student Health Services. Results will be available by logging onto the secure Student Health Services Portal with ONID credentials. Tests are at no cost to the employee or student when insurance information is provided.

Compliance with Vaccination Program and other OSU Policies:

Having now passed the Sept. 15 deadline for employees and students to comply with OSU’s vaccination program, we will begin following up with those not in compliance. Overall, we are pleased with the rate of compliance for the student population. Students who have not complied are subject to an educational conduct process, with progressive action that will impact their status as a student. Compliance will be managed through the Office of the Dean of Students, in collaboration with Student Health Services and the Office of the Registrar. For reasons of confidentiality, status of individual student compliance will not be shared with faculty or others outside of the conduct process.

Employee compliance with the OSU vaccination program will be managed through the Office of Employee and Labor Relations (ELR), who will work alongside supervisors on supporting employee compliance.

Employees who are not in compliance because they (1) have not completed an attestation form or sought exemption through the medical or non-medical declination program, or (2) have not completed the required weekly testing, will first receive a notice from ELR, with a copy to their supervisor. This communication will remind the employee of their obligation and direct them to information on how to comply.

If the employee fails to act on the initial notification, ELR will work directly with the supervisor to engage in an individualized plan of progressive discipline. This includes informal communication, formal discipline (e.g., written reprimand), more severe formal discipline (e.g., suspension), up to and including termination of employment. Additional support will be provided by the Human Resource Strategic Partner (HRSP) and, when necessary, next level supervisors. Deans or equivalent unit leaders may request a compliance report from their HRSP to aid in reaching compliance within their units.

Supervisors must keep information about those employees who are undergoing disciplinary action confidential. Recognizing the concern that there may be a non-compliant individual working within the unit, supervisors are encouraged to speak with a Senior Employee and Labor Relations Officer to discuss whether interim measures may be appropriate to implement, while the unit works to bring the employee into compliance.

For more information about supervisor resources, including FAQ’s, registration for upcoming webinars and related presentation materials, please visit the COVID-19 Resources & Pathway to Fall Resources for Supervisors website. Webinars for supervisors will be hosted on Tuesday, Sept. 21 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday, Sept. 22 from 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

I wish you all well as we transition to fall term.

Dan Larson
Vice Provost for Student Affairs
OSU COVID-19 Response Coordinator