Start of winter term – important updates

Dec. 16, 2021

At-a-Glance Updates

1. Wilfrid Laurier University’s winter term will begin as scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022.

2. Instructional activities will be delivered remotely beginning Tuesday, Jan. 4 and will resume in person on Monday, Jan. 31, provided public health direction allows. The university’s mandatory vaccination policy remains in effect.

3. Students will be able to live in residence as planned. We anticipate that the Athletic Centre (Waterloo campus), Laurier Brantford YMCA and the Library will be open dependent on public health requirements in January.

4. Unless their role can only or best be delivered by being in person on our campuses, employees will work remotely from Jan. 3 until Jan. 31.

5. Fall term 2021 in-person exams on the Waterloo and Brantford campuses will continue as planned.

Message from the President and Vice-President: Academic

Dear members of the Laurier community –

Thank you for your continued work and strength as a community as we have come together to complete another academic year under the influence of the pandemic.

As you know, Wilfrid Laurier University and other postsecondary institutions have been monitoring information and guidance about the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Omicron variant with its predicted rapid spread and anticipated peak over the coming weeks.

We have been actively planning for safe operations in the winter term in alignment with public health and provincial direction. It is with this intention that we are making short-term emergency modifications to the start of our winter term.

These modifications, supported by the Medical Officers of Health in the Region of Waterloo and Brant County, will allow us to keep the health and safety of the Laurier community as our top priority – and allow us to continue with plans to deliver the remainder of the winter term in person as public health direction allows.

We have provided initial information in key categories below. We will share more details in the new year as they are finalized.

Winter Term Academic Delivery

Winter term will begin as scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 4. To prioritize the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff, we will be delivering all in-person instructional activities remotely until Monday, Jan. 31, at which time they will be delivered in person, provided public health direction allows.

Residence

Laurier Residence students will be able to live in residence as planned at the beginning of winter term. Residence Life will communicate directly with residence students to provide specific information.

Vaccination Mandate and Health and Safety Protocols

Laurier’s existing mandatory vaccination policy, as well as our face-covering policy and other health and safety measures, remain in effect. Students are required to upload proof of their second dose to the vaccination passport on the SAFEHawk app no later than Dec. 21 to avoid deregistration from in-person winter term courses. Courses will return to in-person delivery on Jan. 31, provided public health indicates that it is safe to do so.

Booster Vaccinations

Vaccinations are a key tool in defending against COVID-19. We encourage students, faculty and staff to book their booster vaccinations, which the Government of Ontario has opened up to those 18 and over as of Dec. 20. At this time, proof of booster vaccinations is not required under Laurier’s vaccination policy. This may change over the coming weeks, at which time proof of booster vaccinations will be required to be uploaded to the vaccination passport on the SAFEHawk app.

Research

At this time there are no changes to the current policies on research. Visit the Research Services page on Connect for process details to undertake research activities.

Library

The Library on the Waterloo campus will be open beginning Jan. 3 for study space and select services following existing health and safety measures. Visit the Library website for more details about winter term. Opening conditions are dependent on public health requirements in January.

Athletics

The Athletic Complex on the Waterloo campus will be open beginning Jan. 3 with select activities following existing health and safety measures. Visit the Laurier Athletics website for more details about winter term. Opening conditions are dependent on public health requirements in January.

At this time, the Laurier Brantford YMCA will remain open. Visit the Laurier Brantford YMCA website for details about current service delivery.

Details regarding varsity athletics will follow and will be updated on the Laurier Athletics website.

Student Services

Food services will resume at the start of winter term. Information about the delivery of this and other student services, including Wellness Services, will be confirmed by the start of term.

Employee Work

Unless their role can only or best be delivered by being in person on our campuses, employees will work remotely from Jan. 3 until the university returns to in-person operations on Jan. 31. Managers will determine operational needs and communicate work expectations to employees prior to the holiday break. There will be no changes to building and office access.

Fall Academic Term

Please note that there will be no disruption to the end of this academic term. Exams will continue at both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses and the university remains open until the holiday closure on Dec. 23. Our existing health and safety protocols and vaccination mandate remain in place.

Members of the university community have been advised to cancel or postpone any non-essential in-person meetings and events, and employees who are able to do so have been given the flexibility to work remotely until Dec. 22.

We continue to look forward to the time when we can all gather safely together on our campuses, and while we recognize the difficulties that the pandemic has presented, we take comfort in knowing that these proactive short-term modifications take us one step closer to that reality. In the meantime, we have learned since the onset of the pandemic that the special sense of Laurier’s community transcends our physical spaces and is what will move us forward together.

We wish you a relaxing holiday break, and we will provide further information and updates in the new year.

Sincerely,

Deb MacLatchy, President and Vice-Chancellor

Tony Vannelli, Provost and Vice-President: Academic