July 22, 2020
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Danley Hall, Suite 204
1100 E. 14th Street, PMB P-8 • Ada, OK 74820-6999
580-559-5213 office • 580-559-5788 fax • www.ecok.edu
Faculty, Staff, and Students,
The campus is hard at work preparing for the fall semester, and each of us has a part in ensuring we have a successful semester that allows us to stay on campus.
The first thing we can do is wear a face covering. The governance groups on campus, Staff Council and Faculty Senate, support a face covering mandate. Therefore, beginning on August 3, everyone will be required to wear a face covering. Properly worn cloth masks, face coverings, or face shields will be required when a person is inside a university facility, where there are any number of people gathered, and where social distancing of six feet or more is not assured.
The university will provide each employee and student with a reusable cloth mask at the beginning of the fall 2020 semester. In the meantime, we have disposable masks available throughout campus. Check with your supervisor or the appropriate college/school dean if you need one.
Students who are unable to wear face coverings should contact the Student Development Office at 580-559-5208 or by email to cbuchanan@ecok.edu. Employees who are unable to wear face coverings should contact the Employment Services Office at 580-559-5217.
The university’s Health Center will have COVID-19 tests on hand for those students who are symptomatic. We are working with the Pontotoc County Health Department on this. They are in charge of the tests and test results. Testing on campus occurs between 8 - 10 a.m., Monday – Friday. Employees are encouraged to visit their own health care providers, the Pontotoc County Health Department, or the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center. Each agency has its own protocol for testing. You will need to contact them directly for more information.
Since March 23, we have had three students and two employees test positive for COVID-19. The students and one employee have recovered and one is convalescing at home. The university’s COVID-19 Response Plan website is being updated to provide step-by-step procedures for employees and students should they believe they have the virus or have a confirmed case of COVID-19. Similarly, the Housing and Residence Life Office will include information in a move-in email to all students who currently plan to live on campus about the procedures Housing will take. Students should receive this email on 22 July 2020. These procedures will also be on the Returning to Campus page by July 30.
We will be conducting town hall meetings to answer your questions about how the university is preparing for the fall semester. Please submit your questions to us in advance so that we are prepared to answer them. Please submit your questions by Wednesday, July 29, using this link. The town hall meetings will be held via Zoom. An email will be sent to you at least 48 hours before the event with the Zoom link.
Because of the size of the event, only the Q & A function of the platform will be enabled. Should the audience exceed the maximum capabilities of Zoom (500 people), we will look at additional sessions. The event will be recorded and made available for those who are unable to attend. We plan to host several town hall meetings throughout the semester to help the campus stay informed. Those dates are posted on the university’s main calendar.
We will provide updates accordingly as new information is learned and our plans are developed. As always, your health remains the top priority as we open the campus.
Katricia G. Pierson, PhD
Katricia G. Pierson, Ph.D.
President