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Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs

October 26, 2020

 

Dear OSU students,

 

I write to ask for your immediate and ongoing attention to critical COVID-19 public health measures, including following university policies on wearing face coverings and physical distancing. Given the high rate of asymptomatic infection, particularly among young adults, it is critical that all students take every precaution to prevent the spread of this very serious disease. While you may not be fearful of contracting the virus yourself, the person who contracts the virus from you could face dire health consequences, including death. 

 

While most members of the OSU community have shown exceptional adherence in helping to support a healthier and safer community, unfortunately some students have not. Since the start of fall term, the university has had to take swift and significant action against a number of students and student organizations who put themselves and others at risk of being exposed to COVID-19 by hosting large get-togethers, not wearing face coverings, and not observing Oregon Health Authority guidelines. These cases have been investigated as violations of the Code of Student Conduct and have resulted in a number of students and student organization being suspended from OSU. It is my hope that with your commitment to observe required public health measures, we do not need to continue to suspend students to protect community wellbeing.

 

Please do all you can to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Remember:

 

  1. Wear face coverings. Face coverings remain the most effective way to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
  2. Limit social get-togethers. Students are required to restrict all indoor and outdoor social get-togethers to less than 10 people anywhere in the state of Oregon. 
  3. Answer the call. You are required to follow directions from our local health department. If you receive a call from a contact tracer, please answer their call! Stopping the spread of COVID-19 requires rapid contact tracing to determine who may have been exposed. If you do not answer a contract tracer’s call and provide the information they need, their ability to help reduce the spread of the virus to others is significantly reduced.
  4. If you test positive for COVID-19, you must isolate!  And if you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, you will need to quarantine for 14 days, even if you test negative for the virus.  Please contact Student Health Services for more information on isolation and quarantine. If you have any symptoms or are not feeling well, contact your primary care provider or call the Student Health Services Medical Advice Nurse Line at 541-737-2724, or call 541-737-9355 for an appointment (including telehealth). 
  5. Report violations of OSU public health policies. Please notify Student Conduct and Community Standards if you observe  fellow students placing themselves or others in risk by not observing OSU Policy and Oregon Health Authority Guidelines. While it may feel difficult to report your peers, it is more important that we help keep each and our campus community safe, particularly for those who are most vulnerable to more serious disease. 

 

I know that you are weary of the pandemic. We all are. But it will take each one of us to remain vigilant in adhering to all public health measures to reduce the risk and spread of the virus among friends, families and community members. It’s on all of us to contribute to a safer and healthier community, while advances in science address the cause of the virus and ways to prevent disease through vaccinations and other means.

 

If you haven’t started to be an active part of the health care solution, it’s not too late. Please start today. If you are already observing OSU and the state’s public health measures, please don’t stop. This will require extra attention over Halloween, game-days, and other university or family social occasions.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dan Larson

Vice Provost for Student Affairs

OSU’s COVID-19 Response Coordinator

 

 

Oregon State University

Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs

studentaffairs.oregonstate.edu

 

 

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Monday, October 26, 2020