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The university’s updated guidance for in person events is located at https://safeandhealthy.osu.edu/events and applies to all student organizations and extra-curricular events, meetings, or gatherings including SocialEyes.

• The university is prioritizing in-person teaching and learning
• Due to the Omicron-related case numbers, we are asking that for now, all in-person events, gatherings and meetings be transitioned to virtual formats.
• If you already have an in-person event scheduled on or off-campus for the spring semester that cannot be easily transitioned to a virtual format, please work with you advisor to determine the best next-steps. Advisors and SocialEyes leaders, feel free to contact Jen Bennett if you need assistance making decisions about these events.
• Food and drinks should not be served at any in-person event, gathering or meeting. Exceptions can be made for third-party (off-campus) space rentals that have already been confirmed, although masking should be strictly enforced. Again, if you have a spring event scheduled in an off-campus facility, please talk with your advisor about how to handle the event.

Also of note, if you are eating your breakfast/lunch/dinner in an on-campus building (Classrooms, Bad Habits Lounge, Fry Student Lunch room next to 33 Fry, 6^th floor Fry Study Bar, etc.): Please have your mask on unless you are actively eating or drinking.

This is just a short message to follow up on the June 9, 2021 “Return to campus guidance and protocol updates,” announcement from Paul Patton, Senior Advisor to the President, Interim Senior Vice President, Talent, Culture and Human Resources.

In Wednesday’s message, the university included new guidance for masking across campuses – in accordance with public health guidelines. While we are still awaiting guidance for autumn semester 2021, the following applies immediately.

In keeping with our commitment to safety, our protocol—screening via temperature and Covid-19 questions and medical mask requirement—will continue for students, staff, and faculty in all our clinical care facilities and settings, on- and off-campus. This will include all patient-oriented research areas and the preclinic. Visitor access will remain limited.

Elsewhere, we will adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and new Ohio State guidelines, namely that people who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear masks on Ohio State’s campuses, and individuals who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to physically distance. Individuals who are not vaccinated are required to continue wearing masks and physically distance themselves from others. Of course, people who are fully vaccinated can choose to wear a mask and practice physical distancing as they choose. Mask wear will carry no stigma in the College of Optometry.

The best estimate of vaccination rate in our college is upwards of 85%. Vaccination for Covid-19 is strongly encouraged. (For access to vaccination, see https://safeandhealthy.osu.edu/vaccine.)  Likewise, I expect that those of you who are not vaccinated will be honest and will comply with the requirements above—mask wear and physical distancing when you are indoors in our facilities. It is also recommended that people with unvaccinated children and vulnerable family members at home continue to wear masks and practice physical distancing for the safety of their loved ones.

The university asks that employees voluntarily share their vaccine information by completing this form https://go.osu.edu/VoluntaryVaccineInfo

This information will be used for contact tracing, isolating/quarantining or other individual case decisions in the event of a COVID-19 exposure, as aggregate data to determine the percentage of vaccinated Ohio State students, faculty and staff, and to drive decisions on public health measures needed for the Ohio State community.

The college’s Executive Committee will continue to lead planning and preparations for our return to campus and teaching in the autumn semester. As outlined in the announcement, we will communicate these plans to the college no later than July 15. Watch your email for updates.

The Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website continues to be a valuable resource of information, including details about the Autumn Campus Reactivation.

Thank you for all your hard work, dedication, and tenacity during the past 15+ months and now your continued patience as we plan for a safe return to campus. I appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to navigate this ever-changing situation. As always, let me know if you have any questions.

Karla Zadnik, OD PhD
Dean and Glenn A. Fry Professor in Optometry and Physiological Optics
The Ohio State University College of Optometry
635 Fry Hall
338 West Tenth Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210

(she/her/hers)

Please be advised that one of the COVID precautions we have in place is a no visitor policy. This includes sales reps, vendors, or other outside visitors. All meetings and correspondence should be virtual at this time. If there is a rare instance in which an in-person visit is necessary (e.g. to obtain a signature for a delivery), then you must e-mail Ashley Hill at least 24 hours in advance or the guest will not be allowed entry into the building. In all such instances, the visitor must enter at the 338 W. 10^th Ave. entrance, be screened, adhere to all PPE and safety precautions while in the building, and limit their stay to the shortest duration possible.

Ohio State University Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce A. McPheron and Dr. Hal Paz, executive vice president and chancellor for health affairs at Ohio State and CEO of the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, voiced their opposition to new federal rules impacting international students. McPheron and Paz delivered the following joint message on July 9:

The Ohio State University disagrees with the federal guidance issued this week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about the autumn 2020 semester. We are committed to our international students and will work to develop a solution that ensures that students who attend our campuses can successfully complete their academic work this autumn.

Ohio State will offer in-person, online and blended courses to provide all students with a variety of options that also support the university’s plan for health and safety.

The latest ICE guidance will limit international students’ flexibility. These changes have the potential to create barriers to education for international students in every discipline. During a global pandemic, we support the expansion of educational opportunities to allow international students to pursue their studies in the United States, including fully online learning.