In order to maintain the business continuity of the campus and address staff concerns and well-being, on Monday, March 23, 2020 OCU will operate with essential staff and remote work for two weeks. The university plans to resume normal staff operations on Monday, April 6, 2020. During this period, campus offices will be closed to the public.
The university believes this action is warranted in order to sustain the mental well-being of our employees and to support those with childcare concerns during this global pandemic.Â
Those staff designated Essential will be expected to come to campus to complete their work, although they may operate on an alternative schedule as assigned by their supervisor. Â
Those employees designated as Remote will need to complete their tasks from off-campus, however, they may be required to come to campus for some tasks. Please utilize video conferencing (Teams or Zoom) for necessary meetings along with telephone and email. Communication is key, so err on the side of over-communicating during this time. Â
Employees that are designated Other will not have daily responsibilities but should be in an on-call mentality should the need arise to assist or take-over essential responsibilities within their department. The campus will remain open for campus personnel and students. Staff should come to campus as their responsibilities require. Â
All employees will be paid for the hours they would have normally worked during this time for our organization. It is our hope that this two-week period will help to relieve some of the worries that our employees are experiencing during this time and assist many who are struggling to find adequate childcare. The university will continue to monitor the local situation and adjust our response accordingly.
The residence halls and food services remain open to our students who choose to remain on campus. Our scheduled spring break is March 21-29. When students return to campus they will be relocated to individual rooms for the remainder of the semester. The university believes this will aid in social distancing and any need for self-isolation. Our food service will continue to offer take out for students during the two week Essential/Remote period. During Spring Break week, there will be a brunch and dinner option. Â
As a Christian university, we believe in the power of prayer. We continue to pray for our nation and our world. Many people are experiencing financial hardships, loneliness, sickness, and death. In our executive office morning bible reading and prayer, I read from Philippians chapter 2 so “if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ.â€Â Many people do not know Christ and cannot take comfort from the peace that He brings. Pray that they will come to know the peace of Christ Jesus during this crisis.
