Skip area navigation

Faculty FAQs

1. What should I do if I develop COVID-like symptoms?

You should consult with your healthcare provider promptly about if you should stay home from work and for what duration. As with any contagious illness, we want to consider others’ well-being and keep our distance until the healthcare provider advises resuming regular activities.

If you cannot report to work, notify your supervisor through normal sick-leave procedures. As always, you are not obligated to provide any medical details to your supervisor, only that you are sick, you cannot come to work, and how long you anticipate being absent (if known).

If you have questions about your sick leave, contact Human Resources to discuss options.

2. What should I do if I test positive for COVID-19?

Please plan to isolate, stay home from work until your healthcare provider advises that you can resume regular activities, and follow the guidance of your healthcare provider, including whether you should personally notify individual co-workers with whom you’ve had close contact.

If you have been in close contact with OBU students or large groups of OBU employees, contact the COVID Response Team in Campus Life promptly for further guidance.

Notify your supervisor if you cannot report to work by using your department’s regular procedures. As always, you should not provide any medical details to your supervisor, only that you are sick, you cannot come to work, and how long you anticipate being absent (if known).

If you have questions about your sick leave, contact Human Resources to discuss options.

3. I have had close contact with someone who is confirmed positive for COVID-19. What should I do?

You are not required to report to OBU if you’ve been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person. However, you should promptly consult with your healthcare provider about whether you should self-quarantine and whether you should get tested.

If you develop symptoms or test positive, see FAQs 1 and 2.

4. May I still wear a face mask at OBU?

Yes, face masks are optional at each person’s discretion.

However, please do not ask others to wear face masks at OBU. See FAQs 10-12 below for an exception to this policy.

5. May I still maintain social distancing at OBU?

Classes, work environments, meetings, campus events, and other OBU activities will be conducted without social distancing. In situations and venues where individuals have space to socially distance and would like to do so, each person can exercise social distancing to whatever extent practicable.

6. Will OBU offer COVID-19 vaccines on campus?

Not at this time. If the need arises, OBU will seek to partner with CPNHS and can quickly arrange the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine on campus. Please visit Vaccines.gov to enter your zip code and find vaccine sites in your area.

7. What if my doctor has advised me not to get the COVID-19 vaccine because I have a high-risk medical condition? In that case, can I: (1) ask others to wear face masks and social distance? (2) require students I am around to get vaccinated? (3) ask someone to show proof of vaccination?

No to all 3 questions. If you have a high-risk medical condition and want to request accommodations, you must contact Human Resources to request such accommodations. They will provide you with further instructions, including what supporting medical documentation is required.

8. What if my child’s daycare center or school is closed due to COVID-19?

The following will be the university’s policy for faculty who have pre-school or school-aged children:

A. NAVIGATING DAYCARE OR SCHOOL CLOSURES:

If daycare centers close and faculty cannot obtain alternative childcare during their scheduled on-campus times, and/or if PreK-12 schools are not offering face-to-face classes for any portion of the OBU 2022-23 Academic Year, then faculty may:

  1. Explore options to work remotely with your academic dean.
  2. Request unpaid leave of absence by contacting Human Resources.

B. HOMESCHOOLING:

  1. Working from home to home-school one’s own children is not an option.

9. What if an outside entity requires me to observe mandatory COVID-19 protocols (i.e. testing, vaccines, face masks, etc.) as I am performing my job?

Examples may include COVID-19 rules and protocols such as mandatory testing, vaccine, and /or reporting set by local schools, hospitals, or other clinical sites where our faculty enter for OBU job-related purposes, etc.

You will be notified by your supervisor if such mandated COVID-19 protocols apply to you. Once notified, if you wish to request an exception to such mandated COVID-19 protocols set by outside entities, contact Human Resources directly and promptly.

10. What if a student tells me that s/he is positive for COVID-19?

Discreetly* and respectfully** direct the student to immediately put on a mask, if one is available, and leave the area.

You can remind the student that information on what steps the student should take can be found on the student version of the FAQ, posted on OBU’s website.

Mandatory reporting is not required. However, IF the student asks for any type of supportive service, you should advise the student he/she must submit such requests directly to Dean Petersen at brandon.petersen@okbu.edu or 405.585.5250. Please do not grant such requests yourself. This process will apply in any student situation (classrooms, housing, work-study, co-curricular activities, etc.).

If you’ve had close contact with this student, see FAQ 3.

11. What if a student exhibits severe coughing?

Discreetly* and respectfully** direct the student to immediately put on a mask if one is available and to continue wearing the face mask until symptoms subside. You can also discreetly and respectfully direct the student to leave the area if a face mask is not available or if the student declines to wear a face mask.

Mandatory reporting is not required. However, if the student asks for any type of supportive service, you should advise the student he/she must submit such requests directly to Dean Petersen at brandon.petersen@okbu.edu or 405.585.5250. Please do not grant such requests yourself.

You can remind the student that information on what steps the student should take can be found on the student version of the FAQ, posted on OBU’s website. This process will apply in any student situation (classrooms, work-study, co-curricular activities, etc.).

12. What if a student tells me that s/he has been exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19?

You can remind the student that information on what steps the student should take can be found on the student version of the FAQ, posted on OBU’s website. Please do not instruct or advise the student beyond that unless your program is subject to additional COVID-19 protocols from outside entities.

Mandatory reporting is not required. However, if the student asks for any type of supportive service, you should advise the student he/she must submit such requests directly to Dean Petersen at brandon.petersen@okbu.edu or 405.585.5250. Please do not grant such requests yourself. This process will apply in any student situation (classrooms, work-study, co-curricular activities, etc.).

13. What if a co-worker tells me that s/he is positive for COVID-19?

You may elect to discreetly* and respectfully** remind the co-worker to refer to the FAQ regarding what steps they should take.

If you’ve had close contact with this co-worker, see FAQ 3.

If you have concerns, you can submit them confidentially by contacting Human Resources, and you will not be identified as the reporter.

14. What if a co-worker is visibly sick with COVID-like symptoms (such as severe coughing)?

You may elect to discreetly* and respectfully** remind the co-worker to refer to the FAQ regarding what steps they should take. If you have concerns, you can submit them confidentially by contacting Human Resources, and you will not be identified as the reporter.

15. What if a co-worker tells me that s/he has been exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19?

You may elect to discreetly* and respectfully** remind the co-worker to refer to the FAQ regarding what steps they should take. If you have concerns, you can submit them confidentially by contacting Human Resources, and you will not be identified as the reporter.

*discreetly means that you should not ask the student/faculty/staff to wear a mask or take other action in front of other students/faculty/staff.

**respectfully means that you should not ask the student/faculty/staff to wear a mask or take other action in a way that is derisive, sarcastic, or otherwise disrespectful to the student’s/faculty’s/staff’s choice. All other policies and procedures related to classroom management should be followed.