President Announces Fall Re-Opening

Last week, the OC family finished a semester like no other. Whew! I’m proud of the way our community rallied at this unprecedented time.

Based on the information we have today, Oklahoma Christian University plans to return to our traditional, in-person learning schedule - including residential housing for students - for the fall semester. Please know we only make this announcement after very careful consideration.

OC leadership will carefully watch, plan and communicate with experts over the summer months. Even now we’re working closely with health officials to study virus patterns and modeling to determine the very best start and end date for the fall semester, which may shift several weeks earlier or later based on expert insight. If the COVID-19 pandemic were to necessitate a change in our current plans to return to our traditional schedule, we’ll reach out to you by email with that information.

Safety for students, employees and the community is always our most important responsibility. We’ll be extra vigilant about wellness and safety, as we begin the fall semester together. OC leadership will continue to seek the advice of experts, both internal and external, and follow the guidelines outlined by state and federal officials.

COVID-19 no doubt produces challenges that may change our day to day. We’ll proactively address those challenges like campus social distancing and traditional large gatherings with flexibility and creativity. In fact, flexibility and adapting quickly to changing information related to the virus is very important. These are traits we practice and value - especially in times of crisis.

We’ll also reach out by email, social media and via the University’s website at oc.edu/covid19 with other important updates regarding protective measures our campus operations team will put in place to mitigate risk. We can’t eliminate all risk, but I’m confident hard work, careful listening, flexibility and creativity will ensure campus is as safe as it can possibly be.

I’m wishing our entire OC family a safe and healthy summer! And I CANNOT WAIT to see our students back on campus this fall.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. -Philippians 1:3-6

May God bless you and yours,

John deSteiguer, President