Employee Guidelines for April 8: Solar Eclipse Viewing and Campus Operations

Dear Oberlin College and Conservatory Faculty and Staff,

As we approach the total solar eclipse crossing North America on Monday, April 8, we find ourselves in an enviable location to experience this rare event, as Oberlin is in the path of totality. Shortly after 3 p.m., the moon will completely obscure the sun for more than three minutes.

Such an event has not graced Ohio since 1806 and will not do so again until 2099. This presents an extraordinary educational and communal opportunity for our campus.
In light of the significance of this event, the college has established the following guidelines to ensure that our community can engage fully with this rare occurrence while remaining open for our students and maintaining essential campus operations:

Campus Operations

• Essential employees and those who are forward-facing to students or provide student services are required to remain on campus to ensure the continuity of our operations and support for our students. Please contact your supervisor if you have questions about which roles are considered essential in this way.
• Offices that are not deemed essential to be on campus may have the option to operate remotely, subject to approval by their divisional leadership.
• Employees who prefer not to work on this day are encouraged to request a day of paid time off (PTO) in advance.

Flexibility for Remote Work and PTO Requests
Regional officials are expecting visitors from outside the region, large crowds, and potential traffic backups associated with the eclipse. In light of this, we encourage managers to be flexible in approving requests for remote work or PTO, ensuring that our community members can choose how they wish to experience the eclipse while balancing the needs of their roles and responsibilities.

OCLIPSE Viewing Party
All faculty and staff are warmly invited to take part in OCLIPSE, a two-hour campus celebration at Bailey Field. For more information, please visit the OCLIPSE website.

The eclipse offers an unparalleled opportunity for our community to engage with a rare natural phenomenon together. We look forward to celebrating with you and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Should you have any questions or need further information, please contact the Department of Human Resources at human.resources@oberlin.edu.

Best regards,

Joseph Vitale
Chief Human Resources Officer
Department of Human Resources