Top 5 Things to Know about Phase III

Phase III of the Norman campus return plan begins Monday, Aug. 3. Be sure you’ve read the full plan before returning to campus, but read on for the top five things to know about Phase III.

Before returning to campus or attending university-related functions, all OU faculty, staff and students must complete the COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool.

• You must complete the tool if you have been away from campus for any reason for 7  consecutive calendar days or more OR each time any of the scenarios listed here apply.
• You will be notified via email of your screening results. This email must be forwarded to your direct supervisor or appropriate Student Affairs office upon receipt.

Separate screening tools for invited visitors, vendors and new employees are available here.

All individuals inside university facilities and vehicles must wear fabric or disposable face masks that cover their nose and mouth.¹ Individuals may remove masks only if:

• They are in their own enclosed private workspace or dorm room with no one else present;
• They are participating in activities in which a face mask cannot practically be worn, such as eating and drinking; playing a musical instrument or singing as part of their work or an academic assignment; or, for students living on campus, bathing or sleeping; or
• They are outdoors and are able to socially distance from others by 6 feet or more.

Details about the masking policy, including information on masks that will be provided to Norman campus faculty, staff, students and visitors are available in the Phase III Return Plan.

For information about the enforcement of masking policies, click here.

All gatherings and events on university property, as well as OU-sponsored events held off campus (including classes, athletic events, co-curricular events, registered student organization events and general campus events), must adhere to the COVID-19 capacity limits as determined for each venue. The type and date of an event can impact capacity limits. All gatherings and events must also observe the university’s masking and social distancing guidelines.

Third-party events unaffiliated with the university are not allowed through at least Dec. 31, 2020, unless approved by the Campus Scheduling Office. Reservations and commitments for events unaffiliated with the university may not be accepted for calendar year 2021 until further notice.

Guidelines and visitor policies for OU Athletics events will be announced at a later date.

For more information about events, see the Phase III Return Plan.

Modifications have been made to certain OU Food Service operations for fall 2020.

Some campus dining operations will be closed for fall 2020: Bookmark Café at Bizzell Memorial Library, Starbucks at the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Jan Marie and Richard J. Crawford University Club at the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Freshens at Sarkeys Fitness Center, Bedrock Café at Sarkeys Energy Center, Redbud Café at Sam Noble Museum and The Trailer at OU.

Scaled services have been implemented for some campus dining operations. Couch Restaurants, Residential Colleges Dining and Wagner Dining will only accept meal plans as payment. At these three locations, there will be no cash or credit cards, no staff discounts, no departmental meetings and no outside groups or guests due to limited available seating required to facilitate proper social distancing. 

All other Food Service locations, including those in the Oklahoma Memorial Union and Cate Center, will not accept cash in order to help reduce contact during payment. Credit/debit cards, meal plans and Sooner Sense will be accepted.

Visit the OU Together website for the latest information on Norman campus operations.

For a list of frequently asked questions regarding OU’s response to COVID-19, visit the COVID FAQ page.

¹If a faculty member, staff member, or student indicates compliance is not possible due to medical reasons, then the individual should be referred to the appropriate University office to request accommodations on the basis of disability (Human Resources for employees; Accessibility and Disability Resource Center for students). Individuals who would like to request a clear face mask should email jdaniels@ou.edu.

Article Published:  Wednesday, July 29, 2020

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