NOC lifts mask mandate effective immediately

Northern Oklahoma College has updated the NOC Pandemic Plan effective immediately, according to school officials.

The college is lifting its mask policy mandate making masks no longer required, effective immediately. Exception: masks will be required in certain areas of health services. Although mask mandates for campus will no longer be in effect, community members may continue to voluntarily wear masks based on their own needs.

To continue campus safety, all NOC students, employees, and visitors are encouraged to maintain 3’ social distancing, frequent handwashing, and continued cleaning and disinfecting routines.

The revised plan has relaxed some of the prior protocols as the College’s most recent weekly reports have shown zero positive cases, those in the college community who wish to be vaccinated have had opportunity to do so, and state restrictions along with CDC guidelines have been adjusted recently.

The institution is making these transitions for the summer semester in hopes of providing a 2021 fall semester that is much more like students have enjoyed at NOC in years prior to this pandemic.

NOC will continue to monitor guidelines recommended by the CDC for recommended safety protocols in the workplace and classroom and adapt as needed as it has since March, 2020, but desires to provide a “normal college experience” next fall for students.

Beginning Monday, May 17, campus facilities will also begin to reopen to the public for rentals allowing non-college events back on campus, i.e., civic club meetings, reunions, weddings, day camps, banquets.  Food service and catering options will not be available this summer for external events.

In addition, the Wellness Center in Tonkawa will be open to the members of the public with paid memberships, employees, and students from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday for the summer.

At the beginning of the Pandemic, NOC proactively froze all Wellness Center memberships when the center closed to the public and upon reopening, NOC will reactivate and extend existing memberships accounting for the time the facility was closed.

Summer camps will also once again be held on campus including the Girls’ Basketball Camp and the Arts and Adventure Camp in Tonkawa.  Those camps will be day camps, overnight camps will not occur this summer.

The updated NOC Pandemic Plan is available at https://www.noc.edu/emergency/noc-pandemic-response-plan/

Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services which create life-changing experiences and develop students as effective learners and leaders within their communities in a connected, ever changing world.

NOC, a public two-year community college, serves nearly 5,000 students on the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater, online, and the University Center in Ponca City. Of these students about 60% receive financial aid and/or scholarships.  Over 80% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.

NOC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science.  The associate degree fulfills lower-division course work which is applicable towards a bachelor’s degree.

Call (580) 628-6200 for more information about Northern Oklahoma College or visit www.noc.edu .