University Reopens with Modified Services, Extended Spring Break for Students Begins, March 23

The university will reopen with modified services Monday, March 23. Faculty and staff should report as arranged with their supervisor. To maintain as safe conditions as possible, campus buildings will be closed to the public. Students, faculty and staff should be the only ones accessing campus, as needed.

Extended spring break for students will also begin and continue through Friday, March 27. Beginning March 28, classes will resume with alternative instructional delivery. Faculty and staff will work this week to finalize transitional plans for classes and many campus services. Students should expect to hear from their professors via email and/or . . .  read more

Alternative Instructional Delivery for Remainder of Spring Semester

Broncho family, This past week has been unprecedented in both instances and history. Our global connectedness is becoming more evident by the hour as we watch the spread of the coronavirus across continents, oceans and now our interstate borders. The world is collectively working to prevent community spread by closing public spaces, canceling events and reducing opportunities for unnecessary physical contact between people. The University of Central Oklahoma has been active in doing our part in this global and national effort while remaining keenly focused on the health and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff. One week ago, we were the first in the state to announce that we would extend spring break by one week to allow faculty and staff to prepare to teach our students through a number of alternative instructional delivery methods through April 12. Leading up to and through spring break, they have been working to shift courses currently taught in-person to remote availability. Our faculty and staff have demonstrated their commitment to our students and the university through their quick and creative responses to this challenge. Today, we made the difficult decision to continue alternative instructional delivery methods through the remainder of the spring semester. We are committed to ensuring students can complete their academic goals at UCO. The duration of this crisis is unknown but UCO will be ready to continue teaching remotely as long as necessary. We are taking measures to ensure coursework is accessible and in doing so acknowledge that a portion of our population does not have access to technology or the internet at home. In an effort to remove this learning barrier, the university will have 200 hotspots and 200 laptops available for our students to check-out for educational purposes for the remainder of the semester. These technology resources will help to bridge the gap for a number of students that rely on the university for technology access. We will communicate the process for checking out this equipment soon. While our coronavirus website is updated daily and offers answers to many of your questions, effort continues to make the university a safe place to live and work. Hand sanitizer is now available in all campus buildings, computer labs are equipped with sanitizing supplies and our workforce is practicing social distancing. We are expanding our telework option and utilizing shift work to decrease the number of employees on campus at any one time and allow parents to be home with their children. We have spread out employees in condensed office spaces and regular meetings are shifting to web conferences. Additionally, campus dining is now confined to Ayers Kitchen with to-go options only. Details about continuing campus services and alternative work arrangements will soon be sent to faculty and staff. We understand that some of our students may not have another housing option and wish to stay on campus right now. We want those students to know that they are welcome to stay here and we are working to keep their living environments clean and healthy and core services available to them. Our campus community will collaborate on alternatives to our traditional commencement ceremonies for our spring graduates. We know this is an important milestone marking the completion of a meaningful journey that deserves recognition and celebration. As a Broncho parent myself, I would want to know that my child’s university is taking this crisis seriously. I am confident in telling you today that there is a groundswell of dedication and support on this campus to put the health and wellbeing of the members of the Broncho family at the forefront of our decisions. Sid Schwarz, a rabbi in the District of Columbia, reminded us that the practice of physical distancing may be necessary to break the chain of the virus but the practice of social solidarity is essential to maintaining our connection to each other now more than ever. We are in this together and we will get through this together.

Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar
UCO President

There are no new major announcements from the university regarding our COVID-19 response today.

To reiterate, the university schedule is:

• Classes as scheduled, March 13-15;
• Spring Break, March 16-22;
• Extended Spring Break for Students, March 23-27 (campus operational, faculty and staff report, student workers optional);
• Alternate Instructional Delivery, March 28-April 12 (campus operational, faculty and staff report, student workers optional); and,
• Return to normal operations, April 13 (classes go back to original method of delivery).

We continue to gather questions submitted through the university’s coronavirus website and have developed an extensive . . .  read more

There are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on campus or within the UCO community. We are taking steps to prevent and slow the spread of the virus by taking several actions, including the extension of spring break by one week for students and preparation of transitioning classes to alternative instructional delivery methods. Today, we have made the decision to transition to alternative instructional delivery methods March 28-April 12 and to cancel or postpone university-related events of any size March 14-April 12. This includes, but is not limited to, athletic events, recruitment events, tours, student programs, reunions, performances, conferences and social events. Listed below are further clarifications and information regarding university actions as it stands on Thursday, March 12. We will continue to provide updates, as needed, as we monitor the situation as conditions change.

Classes will continue as schedule Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15.

Extended spring break for students March 23-27

• Classes will not be in session, regardless of delivery. Students are not required to report to campus or to online classes. Assignment deadlines during this week will be moved by instructors to a time after classes resume.
• Campus will be operational. Faculty and staff employees should report to work as usual. Student employees have the option of reporting to work but are not required to do so. Student employees should contact their supervisors to express their intent. This week will be used to prepare faculty and staff to transition to alternate methods of instructional delivery. Trainings will occur in person and online. Social distancing practices will be implemented during in-person trainings.
• University Housing will remain open for residents. Ayers Kitchen will be the only dining facility open, 9:30 a.m-1:30 p.m. for lunch and 4:30-7 p.m. daily.
• Campus services such as, but not limited to, advisement, bursar, Center for Counseling and Well-Being, testing center, Wellness Center and library will be open. Those seeking to access these services in person should practice personal hygiene such as frequent, thorough hand-washing and practice social distancing when on campus. Our custodial services partners have increased cleaning and sanitation practices.

Alternate Instructional Delivery Methods March 28-April 12

• Classes will shift to alternate instructional delivery methods March 28-April 12.
• Alternate instructional delivery methods mean classes may be taught online or through a variety of instructional arrangements. The university is working with departments to provide access to and training on alternative instructional delivery methods. Right now, the intent is to have instructors reschedule in-class activities once courses on campus resume.
• More details will be communicated in the coming days via university email and/or from your instructor.

Intention to Return Classes to Their Previous Format
April 13

At this time, it is the intention of the university to resume classes to their previous format of instructional delivery on April 13. This may change as the situation evolves in the coming days and weeks. We will shift our plan as necessary.

Important Notes

If a faculty/staff member or student feels sick, they should not come to campus. Faculty/staff can use sick time or paid time off. If a faculty/staff member or student believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or are exhibiting symptoms, they should not report to campus. Contact the UCO Department of Public Safety at 405-974-2345 to self-report. The department will gather the individual’s information and contact the appropriate parties. This is important to help the university make arrangements for the individual as it relates to their role at the university. Individuals should also contact their primary care physician regarding testing and/or next steps.

Other

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As the university extends spring break, faculty and instructors will use the week of March 23-27 to focus on planning and preparation for providing alternative instructional delivery methods to replace face-to-face courses and activities. If you are not sure how to get started or need some additional information about resources, the Technology Resource . . .  read more