Help students succeed by helping COVID Operations

With several weeks of fall semester underway, OHIO COVID Operations is managing a heavy caseload of students affected by COVID-19 infection or exposure. Gillian Ice, special assistant to the president for public health operations, has identified two things that faculty and staff can do to help her office work most efficiently. 

Use a seating chart and record groupwork. 

This information will assist with contact tracing and minimize disruption to the learning environment, department or organization if someone tests positive for COVID-19.

“We have already had some instances where we had to test an entire class, including the faculty member, because we didn’t have seating charts to reference,” Ice said. Suggestions for tracking seating are available here. 

Understand that affected students may need accommodation. 

“Our COVID Campus Liaisons have spoken with students who are so worried about the prospect of missing class or required work that they are tempted to go to class even when they are supposed to quarantine or isolate,” Ice said. “This is exactly what we don’t want them to do.” 

COVID-related illness, quarantine, isolation and remain-in-room directives are legitimate university absences. Faculty can help students successfully complete their isolation or quarantine by helping them manage work while they are absent, and by understanding that the absences are legitimate. Students can provide proof of quarantine or isolation orders, though that documentation may not yet be available from COVID Operations at the time of the student’s absence. Faculty also may request that documentation from COVID Operations directly. 

As a reminder, faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19, experience symptoms, or are exposed to a COVID-positive person should follow the OHIO COVID-19 Protocol and should advise students and employees to do the same.  

Additionally, faculty and staff should complete a COVID-19 Incident Report if they aware of an exposure on campus, or of an individual with a positive test result or known symptoms. Submit an incident report for each individual who reports an illness or an exposure, even if you think it has been reported by someone else.