Important testing information to share with your students

The following message was shared with Ohio University faculty on Jan. 18, 2021:

Dear faculty colleagues,

Thank you for your ongoing efforts to maintain safety on our campuses and in our communities. In response to questions we have received in the past few weeks, my COVID Operations team has prepared some information regarding our student Vault Health COVID-19 testing program for your awareness. In addition, we have prepared some information you may wish to share with your students as we begin spring semester. You will find this information at the bottom of my message – please feel free to copy and paste the student-related information in your pre-semester communications as you deem appropriate. This information will amplify messages students are receiving from COVID Operations regarding required testing this semester. 

Testing program information for you:

1. Student compliance is not the responsibility of faculty or staff, unless specifically designated. It is important for you to know that it is not your responsibility to track or check whether a student is participating in required testing. COVID Operations is managing that process. However, it is helpful for them to hear about these requirements from you as well as from COVID Operations, as noncompliance could affect their ability to access campus and, by extension, their ability to succeed as a student. Failure to complete required COVID tests will result in students being restricted from campus facilities and may result in disciplinary action.  
2. What to do if a student reports sickness or exposure to you. You may find yourself in the situation where a student tells you they have been exposed, or you learn that a colleague was sick or exposed. For any known incidence of COVID-19 sickness or exposure, we’d like you to submit an  I ncident Report form . Don’t worry if you think someone else has already reported the situation, we will remove duplicates. The important thing is that our team of COVID Campus Liaisons can begin the important task of contact tracing.
3. Other campus-related COVID-19 questions.If you have campus-related COVID-19 questions, email  COVIDoperations@ohio.edu  or call 740-566-8445

The following two sections are offered as information you can share directly with students. Please feel free to copy and paste into your syllabi or other course instruction documents or by email or other direct communication:

Testing information to share with your Athens campus students

Ohio University’s new  COVID-19 asymptomatic testing program with Vault Health  is up and running at the University’s Golf and Tennis Center next to the Ping Center. Athens campus students can schedule regular tests using  this online scheduler : 

• Residential housing students are required to test weekly from Jan. 18 through the week of April 26. 
• Off-campus students are required to schedule a test every other week. 
• To manage scheduling, we encourage off-campus students to read instructions in their email and follow this scheduling system:  
  • Off-campus students with last names beginning with A through K: schedule your first test for the week of Jan. 18
  • Off-campus students with last names beginning with L through Z: schedule your first test for the week of Jan. 25

Vault Testing Hours 

• Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  
• Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  
• Closed MLK Day (Jan. 18.) 

For campus related COVID questions, email COVID Operations or call 740-566-8445. 

What to do if you are sick or exposed

The above information describes OHIO’s asymptomatic testing program. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have a known exposure, do ALL of the following: 

1. Call the Ohio University COVID-19 Hotline at 877-OU-COV19 (877-682-6819) and an OhioHealth clinical case manager will help you schedule a test. Students who have tested positive through OHIO’s Vault Health testing program should not call the Hotline to report the results. If your Vault testing results are positive, a Hotline representative will contact you.
2. Notify Ohio University by submitting an Incident Report form .
3. Isolate or quarantine to minimize exposure to others.

Testing information to share with your regional campus students

Regional campus students, as well as graduate and medical students on the Dublin and Cleveland extension campuses and some Patton College of Education students, who will be on campus or participate in face-to-face activities, are required to test regularly. COVID Operations will email them instructions and unique links for ordering tests.

What to do if you are sick or exposed 

The above information describes OHIO’s asymptomatic testing program. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have a known exposure, do ALL of the following: 

1. Call the Ohio University COVID-19 Hotline at 877-OU-COV19 (877-682-6819) and an OhioHealth clinical case manager will help you schedule a test. Students who have tested positive through OHIO’s Vault Health testing program should not call the Hotline to report the results. If your Vault testing results are positive, a Hotline representative will contact you.
2. Notify Ohio University by submitting an Incident Report form .
3. Isolate or quarantine to minimize exposure to others.  

For campus related COVID questions, email COVID Operations or call 740-566-8445. 

Best regards,
Gillian Ice
Special Assistant to the President for Public Health Operations