ObieSafe Weekly: October 13, 2020
October 13, 2020 1:00 PM
Office of Communications
Getting a flu shot with President Ambar; Classics course puts a curse on COVID
| New Tests | 606 |
|---|---|
| New Positives | 0 |
| % Positive | 0.00% |
Game of Life
Transcription
Two students pass in a corridor, which is marked by ObieSafe-themed signs on the floor and ceiling showing arrows and instructions. They are wearing masks. Dialog:
Student 1: Being directed which way to walk or where to wait reminds me of playing a board game.
Student 2: Hmm, fair. What would we call this virus avoidance game? Stratego? (Shown as game logo.) Risk? (Logo.) Or, with all the masks, Guess Who? (Logo.)
Student 1: Maybe just LIFE (Logo) this semester.
President Ambar gets a flu shot
In August, President Carmen Twillie Ambar walked us through her first COVID test. Now, she shows you that the required flu shot administered in this month’s testing is quick and—well, watch for yourself.
Take note of where to vote
Election day is getting closer! Oberlin’s Voter Friendly Campus Coalition reminds registered voters that the General Election is just three weeks away. As the date gets closer, students should be aware that voters in precincts 3, 4, 7, and 8 (which includes on-campus students) will vote in the John W. Heisman Field House at 200 Woodland Street, according to Sept 14, 2020 action by the Lorain County Board of Elections.
If you live in other areas of Oberlin that include precincts 1, 2, 5, and 6, you should use this search tool to verify your polling location (there are four voting locations within the Oberlin city limits).
The Ohio Secretary of State’s office reminds voters to wear face coverings to be COVID-safe while voting; polling locations will be following pandemic health and safety protocols that include the use of alcohol-based sanitizers, disinfectant wipes, no-touch trash cans, and physical distancing requirements.
Absentee ballot request forms are still available in the dining halls, and students and staff can find detailed, Obie-specific instructions here. But don’t delay in doing this—timing is of the essence as Election Day draws nearer. Feel free to email OCVotes@oberlin.edu for help with the forms. It is critical that the name, date of birth, and registration address are exact matches to the record in the voter file, and you can confirm that here.
ObieSafe protocols in the classroom: Professor of Classics Drew Wilburn
“My Magic and Mystery in the Ancient World course is project- and discussion-based, so for most class meetings, I have opted to be remote," says Drew Wilburn, Irvin E. Houck Associate Professor in the Humanities. "I want the students to be able to see one another's facial expressions, and I want them to be able to share papers and texts. The breakout rooms allow me to continue to have productive discussion as an integral part of the course. I am very glad to have built in two days when we could meet outside, in a physically distant setting. The first was the Equinox, where we were photographed on Tappan Square. I chose that day to talk about an important ancient ritual initiation related to the changing of the seasons, the Mysteries at Eleusis. Later in this month, we'll meet at the cemetery and talk about haunted houses.”
Wilburn is letting students take a more active role in generating discussion questions and working with their peers. “On some days, we've used Google Docs to share the results of our discussions in real time. My class has always been project-based, but we're doing more of that this semester. For example, later in the semester, students will work in their groups to create and analyze a "curse" against COVID-19. I've also tried to make the remote experience more fun. Every day, as people come into the class, we have theme music for the day's topic, like the Eagles' "Witchy Woman" or the Orion Experience's "The Cult of Dionysus."
Memo about limited exceptions for remaining on campus after Nov. 25
As part of the college's COVID-19 preparedness plan, students must depart campus by 9 a.m. Wednesday, November 25, and remain off-campus until their assigned move-in time in January 2021. You may request permission to remain in your assigned housing from November 25 until the start of the spring semester by completing this form. Please be aware that there will be very few reasons that students will receive approval to remain on campus.
COVID epidemiology explained
With everything that is being asked of our community for a safe reopening, it’s worthwhile to delve into the rationale behind public health decision-making.
Two epidemiological topics relate to testing and vaccination: sensitivity and specificity. Both measures are critical for diagnostic tests.
Read more about sensitivity and specificity
Get in touch with the ObieSafe team
Have something to share in a future issue of ObieSafe Weekly? Email obiesafe@oberlin.edu with story ideas or information you’d like to have considered for publication.
ObieSafe Weekly provides the news, information—and the occasional smile—we all need to navigate the pandemic and help our community thrive. Find the tools you need in your inbox every Tuesday at noon.