Covid-19 Information, Protocols and Policies for the Spring 2023 Semester
OCC’s campus is open for all members of our community to work and learn full time and in person. The health and safety of our students and employees is of paramount importance and our decisions are informed by guidance issued from local, state, and federal public health authorities.
Full vaccination is strongly recommended, but not required, with the exception of students and faculty in the Nursing and Allied Health programs. Students and faculty in these programs must be vaccinated in order to comply with the vaccine mandate adopted by clinical sites. Vaccines are widely available throughout Ocean County. If you need information on how to obtain a vaccine, contact the Ocean County COVID-19 Hotline at 732-341-9700 ext. 7411, or email covid@ochd.org.
OCC tracks reported exposures, and positive COVID-19 tests through HealthReporting@ocean.edu. Direction will be provided to employees and students in accordance with the most current information from the Centers for Disease Control and the NJ Department of Health.
Full vaccination is strongly recommended, but not required, with the exception of students and faculty in the Nursing and Allied Health programs. Students and faculty in these programs must be vaccinated in order to comply with the vaccine mandate adopted by clinical sites. Vaccines are widely available throughout Ocean County. If you need information on how to obtain a vaccine, contact the Ocean County COVID-19 Hotline at 732-341-9700 ext. 7411, or email covid@ochd.org.
Masks are not required but the OCC campus remains “mask-friendly.” Anyone wishing to wear a mask is encouraged to do so.
KN-95 masks will continue to be available to students and employees on campus.
Departments can contact the Work Control Desk at workcontrol@ocean.edu 4444 to request a supply of masks. PPE is stocked in the warehouse and Departments should not enter requisitions for PPE.
OCC continues to track reported exposures, and positive COVID-19 tests. If you are ill or receive positive test results, contact the Health Reporting Team at HealthReporting@ocean.edu. Direction will be provided to employees and students in accordance with the most current information from the Centers for Disease Control and the NJ Department of Health.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the team at HealthReporting@ocean.edu.
If you experience symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of your vaccination status, you should stay home or immediately leave campus, even if, to your knowledge, you have not been exposed to COVID-19. (See the COVID-19 symptom list to determine if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19) Contact your Instructors/Supervisor and let them know you are not feeling well. You will need to stay home until it is safe for you to return to campus, per the guidelines outlined in this communication. When your symptoms subside, you should get a COVID-19 test. If the results are negative, you can return to campus. If the results are positive, you must quarantine immediately and contact HealthReporting@ocean.edu or call: (732) 255-0400, ext. 379.
- Monitor your health. If you become symptomatic, get tested and stay home until you receive the results.
- You are NOT required to quarantine, but it is recommended that you wear a mask after exposure.
- After exposure, you may get tested for your own peace of mind, but it is not required unless you become symptomatic.
If you are notified that you have tested positive for COVID-19 the following applies:
- Students, faculty, and staff must immediately contact HealthReporting@ocean.edu or call: (732) 255-0400, ext. 379, and provide your name, ID#, and contact information.
- You must leave campus immediately and quarantine for 5 days. You are not permitted on campus for any reason during this 5 day period.
- As long as you are not experiencing symptoms, you may get tested after your 5th day of quarantine. If your test is negative, you may return to campus. If your test is positive, and you have no symptoms and have been fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication), you may return to campus. If you still have a fever or your other symptoms have not improved, continue to isolate until they improve.
- A negative test is not required in order for you to return to campus as long as you are not experiencing symptoms.
Regardless of vaccination status, anyone who is feeling sick should not come to campus. Faculty are asked to relax attendance policies and allow quarantined students and students who are unwell to continue coursework remotely via Webex or through assignments in Canvas.
After contacting HealthReporting@ocean.edu as directed above, continue with the following notifications:
- If you are a Student
- Notify your instructors
- If you are a Student/Athlete
- Notify your instructors and coach
- If you are Staff or Faculty
- Notify your supervisor or Dean
Note to Faculty: Do not take any action with your classes until you have been directed on what to do via the Health Reporting Team and your Dean. It is not your responsibility to perform any contact tracing or notification to students regarding your particular health report or the health report of one of your students.
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- Note to Students: If you are continuing classwork through Canvas during quarantine, make sure you have access to a computer and internet connection. If you do not, contact Joy Press: jpress@ocean.edu (732) 255-0400 x2013.
Additional Details:
| Faculty & Staff | Students |
| Gather the following information for the Health Reporting Team: date of exposure, date of positive test result, or date symptoms first began. Make a list of everyone you have had close contact with for 48 hours prior to the above date. Faculty should make a list of on campus classes taught for the 48 hours prior to exposure. Official class lists will be used for contact tracing. | Gather the following information for the Health Reporting Team: student ID#, date of exposure, date of positive test result, or date symptoms first began. Make a list of everyone you have had close contact with for 48 hours prior to the above date through reporting. Student schedules will be used for in class contract tracing. |
| If HR notifies you that you been exposed: you should immediately leave campus or stay home. Contact your Dean/Supervisor to discuss how classes/work will continue. | If the College notifies you that you been exposed: you should immediately leave campus or stay home. Contact each of your Instructors and you will be able to continue classwork through Canvas during quarantine |
| If you receive a positive test result: you should immediately leave campus and report the positive test. Contact your Dean/Supervisor to discuss how classes/work will continue. If you are ill, you will not be asked to teach or work remotely. | If you receive a positive test result: you should immediately leave campus and report the positive test. Contact each of your Instructors and you will be able to continue classwork through Canvas during quarantine. |
| If you become symptomatic but, to your knowledge, have not been exposed: you should stay home or immediately leave campus. Contact your Dean/Supervisor to discuss how classes/work will continue. If you are ill, you will not be asked to teach or work remotely. | If you become symptomatic, but to your knowledge, have not been exposed: you should stay home or immediately leave campus. Contact your Instructors and you will be able to continue classwork through Canvas. |
If one of your Instructors has to quarantine, the College will contact you. Be sure to check your OCC email frequently. One of the following will occur:
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- The Health Reporting Team will provide detailed instructions, guided by the NJ Department of Health and based upon the information collected, however, here is some preliminary information for you to be aware of:
- Exposure means that you have had contact with a COVID-19 positive-tested person within 48 hours of the onset of their symptoms, and were within 6 feet of the infected person for a total of 15 minutes or longer.
- See the COVID-19 Symptom list below to determine if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
- If a positive case or confirmed exposure occurs in a classroom, students seated near the positive student and faculty in that class will be notified and advised of next steps.
- If a positive case or confirmed exposure occurs in an office, employees working nearby will be notified and advised of next steps.
- Faculty are asked to relax attendance requirements and permit remote work for students who are experiencing symptoms or are required to quarantine.
- Faculty and staff are asked to assist students with reporting or report student cases to HealthReporting@ocean.edu or call (732) 255-0400, ext. 379.
- Faculty required to quarantine and who remain well enough to teach, may be asked to move the class to remote delivery or otherwise continue instruction until the date the faculty member has been cleared to return to campus by the Health Reporting Team.
- If the faculty member is not well enough to teach remotely, they must use sick time. A substitute may be assigned and the class will continue face to face, or other arrangements may be made.
- Staff who are required to quarantine and remain well enough to work, may be permitted to work remotely, if feasible and with their VP or AVP’s approval while under quarantine.
- Faculty and staff who are experiencing symptoms and are unable to work, should notify: Health Reporting, ext. 379 or healthreporting@ocean.edu and must report sick time using an absence reporting form.
July 28, 2021
Federal Emergency Grants for Students
Ocean County College has received authorization and funding through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to disburse federal emergency grants to students. The federal government has clarified that funds must be reserved to provide students with financial aid grants, which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
The CRRSAA and ARP Acts require that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell grants, in awarding financial aid grants to students. Our overarching goal is to enable students to continue their education at OCC despite the coronavirus impact.
CRRSAA Act
Updated: October 8, 2021
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSAA)
CRRSAA Act Distribution Information Report
October 2021 CRRSAA Act Distribution Report
October 2021 ARP Act Distribution Information Report
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Institution Grants
Updated: January 9, 2023
00262400_HEERF_2021 Annual Report
00262400_HEERFII_Q22021_070921
00262400_HEERFIII_Q22021_070921
00262400_HEERFII_Q32021_100821
00262400_HEERFIII_Q32021_100821
CARES Act
Attention: Secretary of Education
Federal Emergency Grants for Students
Updated: September 11, 2020
Ocean County College has awarded $2,132, 585 to 1,199 students consistent with the CARES Act guidelines. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grant funds have been fully distributed as of September 11, 2020.
CARES Act Distribution Information Report
American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act
Updated: January 10, 2022
American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act Distribution Information Report
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
The campus will undergo additional cleaning and disinfection prior to the start of the fall 2021 Term. The College will continue to routinely follow the COVID-19 Operational Considerations for Cleaning and Disinfection.
- Custodial staff follows cleaning protocols in conformance with CDC guidelines using products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2 and that are appropriate for the surface.
- Hand Sanitizers will be available at entrances, offices, and classrooms.
- Disposable wipes will be available in offices, classrooms, and other shared facilities for use in wiping down surfaces.
- Good hand hygiene (frequent hand washing with soap/water or alcohol-based sanitizer) is encouraged after the use of shared equipment and common areas.
- Signage has been installed to remind the college community to wash their hands frequently.
- Routine cleaning and spot disinfection of bathrooms and high-touch areas will take place.
- Custodial staff will wipe down high-touch areas throughout the day.
- In places such as the library and open computer labs, where surfaces including computers and printers are handled by multiple users, it is strongly encouraged of each user to clean keyboards, mice, work surfaces, and any other equipment (printers, copiers) before and after each use. Disinfectant wipes will be available for students, faculty, and staff to wipe down shared surfaces.
- Students are welcome to bring their own devices to avoid sharing. The campus Wi-Fi will be available for use.
- All equipment has been cleaned and serviced including replacement of the air filters campus-wide.
- Proper ventilation rates, termed in cubic feet per minute (CFMs) were verified.
- The air handling equipment was upgraded with ultraviolet (UV) lighting which sanitizes bacteria and viruses.