Dear members of the OCAD U community,
I am writing to provide you with an update about the Winter term and to reaffirm our goal of resuming in-person learning as soon as possible, keeping in mind the current context of an unpredictable pandemic and Omicron variant.
As I have discussed before, our decision to begin the Winter term on January 28 was informed by the modelling presented to us in mid-December that projected infections, due to the Omicron variant, would peak between January 4 and 24. So, OCAD U wanted to do its part in:
- Slowing the spread of the Omicron variant in January given these data;
- Protecting the health care system so our hospitals would not become overwhelmed; and
- Giving people within our community the time to get boosted.
We are encouraged by the news that, based on conversations informed by the COVID-19 Reference Group at regular meetings of the Council of Ontario Universities, the modelling is still holding and there are indications that the rate of infection is reaching the peak as anticipated.
PHASED-IN APPROACH TO IN-PERSON LEARNING
However, despite this positive trendline, we are taking a more cautious route and have prepared a phased-in approach to in-person learning. We will continue to monitor the current Omicron situation and regularly communicate with local and provincial public health authorities as we move forward with our Winter term plan as outlined below:
Week 1: Begins Friday, January 28
- All undergraduate and graduate classes begin online
Week 2: Begins Friday, February 4
- A set of highly specialized classes in Material Art & Design and Industrial Design will return to campus for in-person learning
- Remaining undergraduate and graduate classes continue online
- Shops and studios will reopen
Week 3: Begins Friday, February 11
- All graduate in-person classes return to campus
- Undergraduate studio classes that take place in shops, studios (including fabrication, drawing and painting studios, computer labs) and other specialized spaces return to campus for in-person learning
Week 4: Begins Friday, February 18
- All remaining in-person classes resume on campus (e.g., studio seminars, lecture courses)
All courses listed in the catalogue as online will remain online.
We will be circulating a complete list of in-person courses that return on each date to faculty shortly. Faculty are asked to communicate specifics of their course to their students via Canvas. We are also developing a handbook for faculty for teaching in-person classes with guidance on health and safety measures and related concerns.
In the event these dates and arrangements change due to the unpredictability of this pandemic, know that we have a contingency plan and will inform the community as soon as possible across multiple channels.
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS CONTINUE
Many members within our community have expressed concerns about coming back to campus given the highly transmissible Omicron variant. I want to take this opportunity to remind you that OCAD U will continue to make health and safety a priority as we have done throughout this multi-year pandemic.
Among our universal precautions, OCAD U will:
- Continue to require students, faculty, staff, contractors and visitors who enter our buildings, classes, studios and shops to be fully vaccinated as per our vaccination policy;
- Expect all students, staff and faculty to get boosted as soon as they are eligible, which will help protect against hospitalization and serious illness;
- Require everyone to wear a mask that fits well, has multiple layers such as a three-ply medical mask, and has an effective filter layer; and
- Continue to meet the standard of at least six air changes or air change equivalents (ACHeq) in all instructional and co-curricular spaces. This is based on recommendations by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Harvard T.H. Chang School of Public Health and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
NEXT STEPS
We are currently working on our plan for having administrative employees return to campus and we’ll share an update next week. As well, more information on our universal precautions will be available next week on our website and in our new weekly newsletter, every Thursday. This newsletter will share updates, provide you with information about things you need to know, and answer frequently asked questions. So, keep an eye out for the OCAD U Return to Campus newsletter.
GET BOOSTED
As an added layer of protection, OCAD U expects students, faculty and staff to get boosted, another way of continuing our collective commitment of caring for one another. If you’re already boosted, that’s great and please upload your certificate to the OCAD U Safe App or alternative web page so your vaccination status is up-to-date. We know that vaccines and boosters prevent us from being hospitalized and becoming severely ill. Truly, the heart of the matter is this – if we prioritize our own health by getting boosted, we help our community too, so please boost up.
We are also aware that there are challenges to getting access to vaccine clinics, so OCAD U is working diligently to explore multiple opportunities that will give students, faculty and staff access to existing clinics as well as ones specifically for our community.
For example, on Wednesday, February 9, OCAD U is hosting its own vaccine clinic on campus. We’ll share more information about this clinic once the details are finalized. Visit our website for information we have compiled about existing vaccine clinics.
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
As part of our efforts to more proactively engage with our community throughout the term, we plan to hold virtual meetings and/or townhalls to provide you with more information on our Return to Campus Plan and to answer questions, so stay tuned for more details.
Finally, throughout this pandemic, I have asked you to be patient, generous and kind with one another. Our OCAD U community has done a remarkable job of committing to this ethos of caring during an incredibly challenging and unpredictable time. We have seen firsthand, throughout this prolonged pandemic, how you have all taken the responsibility of protecting each other seriously by wearing masks, getting vaccinated and maintaining physical distancing when required. So, thank you!
I know our students are anxious to get back on campus to create and collaborate in our studios and shops, and I cannot wait to see this creative activity safely resume – it is long overdue.
Once again, I’d like to thank you, our students for your ongoing patience and understanding as we continue to live through these extraordinary times. I’d also like to thank our faculty and staff for your ongoing dedication and commitment to supporting our students in their learning.
Stay well and stay safe!
Ana Serrano
OCAD U President and Vice-Chancellor