Return to Campus

Although there are currently no active Emergency Orders or Rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College will continue to implement the following housekeeping and safety protocols to reduce the risk of disease transmission on campus:

Effective Tuesday, August 10:

• Face coverings (masks) are required indoors on all OCC campuses, for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals. Face coverings (masks) are not required for individuals working alone in an office, classroom or work space with high-wall areas.
  • Masks are not required outdoors.
  • If a student or employee needs a mask, they are available at no charge in Student Services and Public Safety (please take only one per person); they are also for sale in the vending machines near bookstores.
• Social distancing is encouraged.
• Stay home, if you are sick. Daily online Covid-19 screening is no longer required; continue to self-monitor for symptom.
  • If you feel sick on campus, alert your supervisor/instructor and return home. Seek the advice of a health expert.
  • Supervisors/instructors need to contact the Manager of Environmental Health and Safety / Risk Management (EHSRM) via email at covid@oaklandcc.edu, as soon as possible after being notified of student/employee both suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19.
• Monitoring student and employee illnesses, and enforcing quarantines, as necessary.
• Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of common areas.
• Disinfectant dispensers in common areas and near restrooms.
• Installation of barriers at student service point of contact areas and many classrooms.
• Making disinfectant wipes available in classrooms and labs.

While the COVID-19 vaccines are not mandatory, the College encourages everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Broad participation in vaccination will help the College return to safe in-person activities.

Students, employees and visitors are no longer required to complete the COVID-19 screening before coming to campus.

Effective Tuesday, August 10:

Masks) are required indoors on all OCC campuses, for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals. Face coverings (masks) are not required for individuals working alone in an office, classroom or work space with high-wall areas.

• Masks are not required outdoors.
• If a student or employee needs a mask, they are available at no charge in Student Services and Public Safety (please take only one per person); they are also for sale in the vending machines near bookstores.
• Students who are unable to tolerate wearing a mask for medical reasons may request a reasonable accommodation under the ADA. Students must contact the campus ACCESS department for assistance. Accommodations will be determined on an individual basis through interactive dialog between the College and the requester, and will be based upon the medical condition(s) of concern and other pertinent factors. The accommodation must be arranged for prior to the beginning of the semester. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:
   
  • Faceshield (preferred)
  • Scarf or similar garment over lower face
  • Physical barriers between individual and others
  • Remote class or office work
  • Social distancing
  • Other
     
  An exemption to the mask mandate may also be granted for religious reasons. In such cases, students must contact the College EEO officer in HR for instructions.
   
  If no reasonable accommodation for ADA or religious considerations is possible or the requester rejects an accommodation, they may be denied physical in person access to College buildings.

Yes. Cloth face coverings can be purchased from vending machines at the following campus locations:

• Auburn Hills: G Building
• Highland Lakes: Woodland Hall
• Orchard Ridge: J Building
• Royal Oak: B Building
• Southfield: A Building

YES. Face coverings that do not meet the CDC/MDHHS guidelines are not allowed. This includes anything that does not fit closely to the face, such as loose-fitting bandanas, single-layer gaiters, shirts pulled over the mouth and nose, and face shields, among others. Face masks that are close-fitting, but have an exhalation valve, also are prohibited.

Exceptions to continuously wearing a cloth face covering or other mask on OCC property is limited to the following situations:

• Outdoor setting.
• Within a single-occupancy office or other work area, as long as no one else is present in the space.
• Are asked to temporarily remove a face mask for identification purposes.
• Communicating with someone who is deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing, and where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
• Members of the public in OCC facilities being utilized as a polling place for purposes of voting in an election.

The College is making modifications to prepare for face-to-face interactions. Some of these include:

• Drinking fountains equipped with bottle-filling stations are being phased in at all campuses.
• Areas of the College requiring face-to-face meetings or interactions with students equipped with a hand sanitizer dispenser containing an alcohol solution of at least 60% concentration.
• Disinfectant dispensers in common areas and near restrooms.
• Installation of barriers at student service point of contact areas and many classrooms.

The custodial staff will clean and disinfect the rooms according to College protocols. Students will be encouraged to clean and disinfect their desks, seats, and shared equipment prior to use. Faculty, lab staff and paraprofessionals will need to help ensure shared work areas are kept clean and disinfected. Cleaning and disinfecting supplies will be provided by the College.

All cleaning products are commercial products appropriate for their intended use and disinfectants are EPA-approved. Any cleaning or disinfecting product can pose a health risk if improperly used.

Ample vending machines, as well as self-service Marketplaces, are available across all campuses, offering snacks and drinks.

Go home and notify your instructor. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you should seek medical attention and consider getting tested. Quarantine periods may be assigned by the College.

The College will contact you via your OCC email if it suspects that you may have had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case. You will be instructed as to how long to quarantine from campus. You also may be contacted by the Oakland County Health Division with additional instructions.