Introduction

At J. F. Oberlin University, we will lift the restrictions on campus admission. While taking appropriate infection prevention measures, we will maintain a fulfilling campus life for students. Students, faculty, and staff are all important members of our university’s academic community. Faced with the global issue of COVID-19, we must all work together in order to achieve the common goal of creating the safest possible campus environment. It is essential to make efforts to protect the safety and security of the entire community while respecting our various backgrounds and experiences. For this reason, we have established the "J. F. Oberlin University Community Standard," which summarizes the safety practices of our students, faculty, and staff.

As you all know, COVID-19 is prevalent worldwide and is causing damage in Japan as well. On the other hand, the efforts of medical professionals and researchers have revealed effective countermeasures, and these will continue to develop in the future. The university is considering and implementing measures to prevent the spread of infection based on the knowledge and guidelines published by the national and local governments. Despite this, we cannot guarantee that you will absolutely not get infected. Therefore, we ask students to make the best possible choice for themselves, considering their individual circumstances and comfort.

Fall semester policy

As stated in the president's message on July 15, the lesson policy for the fall semester is as follows:

Lesson plans will continue to be formatted for online classes, while in-person participation will be available if conditions for infection prevention are met. In addition, the restrictions on admission to the campus will be lifted, and online classes will be available on campus.

Specifically, students will choose based on class syllabus: (1) online lessons, (2) online lessons including several face-to-face lessons, or (3) complete face-to-face lessons. Students will select a lesson plan according to their individual circumstances.

J. F. Oberlin Infection Prevention Measures

We are taking the following measures to prevent coronavirus infection.

• Ensuring social distance in the classroom
  In order to ensure adequate social distance and proper ventilation, classroom capacity will be determined in accordance with the recommendation by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
• Body temperature measurement and disinfectant at building entrances
  Thermography technology for measuring body temperature, along with disinfectant, will be installed at the entrances of campus buildings.
• Preventing disease transmission at exits and entrances
  Restrictions at campus building entrances and exits will be implemented to prevent the three conditions that facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases (closed spaces, crowds, and close contact).
• Installation of partitions to prevent the spread of droplets
  Acrylic partitions will be installed to prevent droplet infection as much as possible in areas such as individual office windows, the student dormitory cafeteria, etc.
• Infection prevention at student lounges and cafeterias
  In student lounges and cafeterias, precautions will be taken to prevent the three conditions that facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases (closed spaces, crowds, and close contact). These measures include socially distant seating arrangements and the sale of boxed lunches to replace in-hall dining, which will be suspended due to high risk of droplet infection.
• School bus passenger limit
  To prevent infection, we will limit the number of passengers on school buses and open windows for ventilation. In addition, we will thoroughly disinfect the inside of the buses on a regular basis.
• 3 Cs prevention promotion via OBICON app
  Those with smartphones are required to install the COCOA and OBICON apps when entering the campus. These apps help prevent the “3 Cs”: three conditions that facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases (closed spaces, crowds, and close contact).
  Using the OBICON app, users can view which areas are crowded and voluntarily avoid these areas.
  
• Notification when an infected person occurs by a smartphone app
  The COCOA app allows users to monitor their situation and determine whether they have been in contact with infected persons while commuting to school. In addition, the OBICON app monitors location information and the university will notify users if there was a possibility of contact with an infected person on campus.
  The university will correspond with those who are suspected of contact with an infected person, and further action will be determined based on the municipal health guidelines for the particular campus.

Topics Requiring Mutual Understanding

Based on the guidelines from the national and local governments, the university will take measures to prevent infection using limited human and financial resources. Infection prevention will require the cooperation of all students, teachers and staff. Unfortunately, no matter how stringent the measures against infectious diseases, there is no absolute guarantee that you will not get infected. The university cannot take responsibility for the infection of students and faculty members. If an infection occurs, we will cooperate with the health center in charge.

J. F. Oberlin University Community Standard

Students, faculty and staff working at the University commit to fulfilling their responsibilities to protect the community in the following areas:

1. Monitor your temperature
   ・If you have a fever of 37 °C or higher, or if you have a strong fatigue, suffocation, or olfactory/dysgeusia even if you do not have a fever, monitor the situation from home.
2. Always wear a mask
   ・When commuting to school, be sure to wear a mask on campus.
3. Prevent crowding and keep social distance
   ・Keep as far away as possible from a crowded areas.
   ・If it becomes crowded, leave the area as soon as possible.
   
4. Wash your hands frequently
   Wash your hands regularly, such as during breaks.
5. Keep indoor areas ventilated
   ・Open windows and doors for ventilation.
6. Install and set up specified smartphone applications (smartphone owners only)
   Please install the following apps to keep yourself safe and the safety of your friends around you. The apps provide you with information when infection occurs. Additionally, in the case that you become infected, the app will allow you to alert those you may have contacted without identifying yourself as an infected individual.
   
   ⇒Click here for how to install the COCOA app
   ⇒Click here for how to install the OBICON app (students only)
7. Observe building admission rules
   ・Know in advance the rules for entry and exit of buildings on your campus and observe these.
   ・When entering buildings, disinfect your hands and use the thermography equipment to take your temperature.
8. Report infection or suspected infection
   ・If you become infected, register the details using the registration form below. After submitting the form, we will notify the instructor in charge of the lesson that you will be absent from the lesson.
   ⇒Click here for registration form
   ・If you suspect that you may be infected, such as when you are not feeling well, report and consult with the Health and Sanitation Support Office on your campus by email or phone. If you will be absent from class, we will inform the teacher in charge of the class that you will be absent.
   　*Machida C / PFC / Yotsuya C: health@obirin.ac.jp, 042-797-6821
   　*Shinjuku C: s_health@obirin.ac.jp, 03-3366-0113
   　*Tokyo Hinatayama C: h_health@obirin.ac.jp, 042-739-0063
   　*Tama C: t_health@obirin.ac.jp, 042-356-6522
   ・Register infection information using the COCOA app.
9. Other issues will be determined by campus
   Any other particulars will be determined in consideration of the individual circumstances of each campus.