SOU Campus Notifications

COVID-19 INFORMATION

Updates on COVID-19 (coronavirus)

*COVID-19 can only be confirmed through testing at limited locations and is primarily limited to hospitals, which means that many people who are sick are not being tested. We continue to urge each member of the community to take all recommended steps to protect their health and that of others. Any symptoms of respiratory illness should be treated with caution: remain at home and contact a medical practitioner for further guidance.

This page is intended to provide guidance, resources and timely information for all members of the SOU community.

STUDENT SAFETY BROCHURE

STUDENT CONDUCT REMINDERS

LOCAL TESTING LOCATIONS

A novel strain of coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, is being monitored and investigated by agencies including Jackson County Public Health, the Oregon Health Authority, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease has been named COVID-19, which stands for “coronavirus disease 2019” – the year in which it was identified.

Southern Oregon University is working proactively with local and state health agencies, and collaborating with other colleges and universities, to inform those we serve and to protect their health and well-being. Resources on this page will be refreshed as the situation changes or new information emerges.

SOU HOUSING UPDATES RECREATION CENTER UPDATES SOU LIBRARY UPDATES

STUDENT RESOURCES STAFF RESOURCES FACULTY RESOURCES

Testing at SOU

SOU will not be testing all students. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as Jackson County Public Health do not recommend universal testing of students. Universal testing has not shown to improve any additional reduction of transmission beyond what prevention measures (e.g. social distancing, cloth face coverings, hand washing, and enhanced cleaning) provide. The campus is partnering with Valley Immediate Care to conduct COVID testing for students who are experiencing symptoms and/or have been in recent contact with an individual who may have tested positive. Students will be referred to Valley Immediate Care for testing.

Personal Safety

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid exposure to the virus.

SOU recommends that members of its community follow guidelines developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses in general.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

PERSONAL SAFETY INFORMATION

Community Safety

Southern Oregon University has convened regular leadership meetings on COVID-19 since January and activated an incident response team to coordinate campus-wide preparations and responses on March 2. The university’s efforts are coordinated closely with those of the Oregon Health Authority, Jackson County Public Health, and higher education partners.

SOU is posting periodic updates for the community to this dedicated COVID-19 website, along with resources that may be helpful to students, parents, employees, and others.

COMMUNITY SAFETY GUIDELINES

Travel Guidance

President Schott announced updates to SOU’s travel guidance in March, discouraging travel outside our region to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The university continues to limit employees’ non-essential travel – domestic or international – and requires pre-approval from both the risk manager and the appropriate vice president. Employees and students are encouraged to limit personal travel outside our county, state or country.

Due to the nature of the coronavirus’ spread, this travel guidance may change. Check this site often before traveling.

SEE TRAVEL GUIDELINES

Notifications about COVID-19 and SOU Operations (see COVID-19 Cases link above for full list of virus cases)

Latest Alerts:

COVID-19 case report – Jan. 27, 2020 January 29, 2021
You are receiving this email about new COVID-19 cases that may affect the SOU community because you signed up to receive notifications about the pandemic. SOU is committed to providing accurate, timely information as we work together through these challenging times. Jan. 27: One COVID-19 case One employee who was last on campus on Jan. […]
Traffic update due to I-5 closure January 27, 2021
ODOT recommends local traffic to use exit 19 at Valley View Road if you need to go north on the interstate. This will help reduce traffic congestion at exit 14 which is being used to reroute traffic back north.Due to severe winter conditions today (1/27), ODOT, at the request of Caltrans, has closed down I5 […]
COVID-19 case report – Jan. 22, 2021 January 22, 2021
You are receiving this email about new COVID-19 cases that may affect the SOU community because you signed up to receive notifications about the pandemic. SOU is committed to providing accurate, timely information as we work together through these challenging times. Jan. 22: One COVID-19 case One student, who began having symptoms on Jan. 21, […]
COVID-19 case report – Jan. 15, 2021 January 21, 2021
You are receiving this email about new COVID-19 cases that may affect the SOU community because you signed up to receive notifications about the pandemic. SOU is committed to providing accurate, timely information as we work together through these challenging times. Jan. 15: One COVID-19 case One student who lives off-campus has tested positive for […]

See Full List of Latest Updates Here

Sign-up for SOU Alerts and Notifications

This notification system is open to parents, relatives, and the general public. By signing up, you can receive communications specific to the COVID-19 situation at SOU. SOU will post to this notification list periodically as events transpire and as decisions are made. You can unsubscribe at any time by logging in below or replying UNSUBSCRIBE to any text messages you receive.

Student Resources

SOU is committed to fulfilling its mission for providing a quality education to its students as well as providing assistance to all students wishing to continue their education during this time. SOU is taking measures to enhance its remote delivery options using a variety of technologies. In addition, SOU is doing what it can to accommodate displaced students from other institutions.

REMOTE STUDENT RESOURCES SOU STUDENT IT RESOURCES VISITING STUDENT IT RESOURCES

Other Resources

Want to read more about COVID-19?

A great deal of information is now available, and we’ll add more relevant links as we learn of them:

General, up-to-date information can be found on a dedicated CDC web page.
Information about our area is provided by Jackson County Public Health.
A statewide perspective – and updates by email subscription – are available from the Oregon Health Authority.
Information and resources for those affiliated with colleges and universities is provided by Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
A global view of the COVID-19 outbreak is provided by the World Health Organization.
COVID-19 from the academic and medical viewpoint is available from the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine – Coronavirus Resource Center and that university also offers an updated map of COVID-19’s spread.
An epidemiologist from the Bloomberg School of Health at Johns Hopkins University provides a clear explanation of what we might expect from COVID-19 as the outbreak spreads and recedes.
SOU’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning offers faculty members an Instructional Resiliency Guide with information about maintaining continuity during challenging situations.

Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19

We all have questions about the global COVID-19 outbreak and how it may affect us, our university, and the state, region and world. We offer a few answers below.

What offices are open on the SOU campus?

COVID19 – Office Staffing

Business Services: Payroll, Print & Copy, Bursar’s Office, 8 am to 5 pm weekdays.
Service Center: Service Center office open for deposits 10 am to 2 pm weekdays; support specialists, and purchasing and contracting personnel available by phone or email from 8 am to 5 pm weekdays.
Raider Student Services: phone and email hours, 9 am to 5 pm weekdays, call or email for essential physical appointments, email from sou.edu account and include student ID number to arrange Zoom or Google Hangouts meetings regarding general questions (StudentServices@sou.edu); financial aid (finaid@sou.edu); scholarships (finaidschol@sou.edu); VA benefits (vabenefits@sou.edu); or collections (collections@sou.edu).
University Housing: Front desk at Greensprings, 8 am to 10 pm daily for rent, keys, check-ins, mail and packages; The Hawk for takeout food, 7 am to 9 am, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, 5 pm to 7 pm; The Landing for takeout food and beverages, 7:30 am to 1 pm.
Information Technology: available by phone, email or Google Chat, or arrange communication by Zoom or Google Meet, 8 am to 5 pm for help desk, network, systems administration or classrooms and labs, and from 7 am to 5:30 pm for the Banner and Applications team.
Campus Public Safety: office closed to walk-in traffic; services available 24/7 by phone through dispatch; Parking Services Office closed but available by phone or email for customer service.

What is SOU doing to protect the campus community?

We are following the CDC guidelines and reminding students to practice basic hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, and self-care. Our custodial staff members are going the extra mile to clean and (where appropriate) disinfect spaces and surfaces. If students, staff or faculty feel ill, they should stay home. SOU will monitor the situation closely and stay in regular communication with the community as details emerge.

How can I protect Myself?

Here are some simple tips to keep yourself healthy and help protect those around you:

Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others
Call the Student Health & Wellness Center (students) or your personal doctor (employees) if you’re very sick

What is the COVID-19?

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not previously been identified.

What is the source of COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people. Health officials suggest COVID-19 may have originated in a large, open seafood and live animal market.

How does the virus spread?

The virus probably emerged originally from an animal source but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization report that the virus now spreads primarily from person-to-person. It is transmitted between people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet), primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It may also spread when people touch surfaces or objects contaminated by the virus and then touch their own mouth, nose or eyes.

What symptoms does COVID-19 cause?

Symptoms reported for patients with the virus include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and shortness of breath.

What if I start to feel ill?

People who have traveled internationally (especially to China, Iran, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong or South Korea) in the past 14 days – or have had close contact with someone who is confirmed to have, or is under examination for COVID-19 – should closely monitor their health and follow the CDC’s guidelines if they start to feel ill. SOU students are encouraged to check-in by phone with the Student Health & Wellness Center (541-552-6136) and employees may contact their personal doctors.

Where should SOU employees go for leave and alternative work options?

SOU faculty and staff should visit the Human Resources COVID-19 Webpage for information about leave and telecommuting options.

Is there a policy on Isolation?

General Isolation Policy
Following updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week, any travelers to the U.S. returning or coming for the first time from any country under a CDC Warning Level 3 (Avoid Nonessential Travel) are expected to self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of whether that direction is specifically given to them at the U.S. point of entry. Those Level 3 countries are China, Italy, Iran, and South Korea, but there is a strong possibility that this list of countries will grow. Individuals who have transited these nations do not need to self-isolate if they did not leave the airport. If they left the airport or remained in the airport for more than 24 hours, self-isolation is required. Updates will be announced and posted to the University’s new FAQs as soon as possible if more countries are added to the list.

CORONAVIRUS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES

*Please watch this brief video from the CDC regarding COVID-19. Remember, viruses don’t discriminate and they cannot target people from specific ethnicities or racial backgrounds. Associating an infectious disease with a specific group or nationality perpetuates stigma and harms the people targeted.

COVID-19 is not connected to any particular ethnicity or race. Racist behaviors or stereotyping are not acceptable at Southern Oregon University. If you experience harassment or discrimination, please file a bias incident report here.

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