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OCAD University

OCAD U maintaining current COVID-19 protocols for fall term

August 24, 2022
Photo of the Rosalie Sharp Centre for Design, white building with black squares on coloured stilts with windows in the foreground

A message from OCAD University sent to all students, faculty and staff on August 24, 2022.

OCAD University is excited to begin a new academic year as we welcome you back to campus. Though this fall may look different compared to last year, as we expect to see more people in our classrooms, studios and computer labs, we will continue to follow OCAD U community norms we established this summer that have successfully guided the health and safety of all.

Masks

  • To help protect the most vulnerable members of our community, OCAD U requires everyone to wear well-fitting, high-quality masks while in classes, shops, computer labs, the Dorothy H. Hoover Library and other designated masking areas. However, if you are presenting, facilitating or speaking to a group, you may remove your mask.
  • Wearing masks in areas where people are not congregating or are at a reasonable distance from each other is not required, including administrative offices. OCAD U highly recommends that you wear a well-fitting, high quality mask in spaces where you are unable to maintain physical distancing.
  • Wearing masks at indoor events will be up to the discretion of the event organizer.
  • High-quality masks are available at the security control desk at 100 McCaul St. and at 230 Richmond St. W.

Vaccine mandate in abeyance

While we do not require you to be vaccinated to come on campus, should COVID-19 levels rise this fall, it may become necessary to once again restrict access to campus to vaccinated individuals only. This will require us to quickly pivot and be ready. This is why we require you to keep your vaccine status up-to-date by uploading your most recent vaccine certificate to the OCAD U Safe app (available from the Apple store or Google Play) or to the alternative web page.

Continuing with our layered approach

Preventing the spread of COVID-19 involves a layered approach—it’s about taking a series of actions that are preventative in nature. These include:

  • Stay home if you are sick or have symptoms, even if they are mild. As a member of the OCAD U community, we expect you to monitor your health and to stay home when you are feeling unwell.
  • If you have COVID-19 symptoms or test positive, follow the isolation requirements of Toronto Public Health. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough or runny nose, should stay home from school, work and social events until the fever clears and symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours. A well-fitted mask must be worn for 10 days after and non-essential visits to high-risk individuals and settings should be avoided.  Please familiarize yourself with what to do if you are a close contact of someone who has COVID-19.
  • Get boosted. To ensure continuity of teaching, learning and campus activities throughout the year, and if we have to reactivate our vaccine mandate, the University expects all students, all students and employees to receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including any booster dose(s) as soon as they are eligible. We’re looking at offering vaccine clinics on campus and will share more information once dates are confirmed.
  • No eating in classrooms, studios, computer labs, the Dorothy H. Hoover Library and other designated masking areas.
  • Wash or sanitize your hands often.
  • Enhanced cleaning: OCAD U continues to implement enhanced cleaning procedures  in high-traffic areas.
  • High ventilation standards: OCAD U continues to meet or exceed recommended air exchange equivalency standards in our buildings and conducts regular monitoring.

Addressing expected absence due to illness

We’ll continue to be flexible in accommodating faculty and staff absences due to illness. Given the likelihood of frequent illness and isolation requirements, we anticipate that flexibility will be required throughout the fall term to accommodate faculty and student absences due to illness, caregiving responsibilities or self-isolation.

While the mode of delivery of all courses will remain as scheduled, faculty may need to temporarily adapt their course delivery methods in response to their own situation, and those of their students. Please note that our guidelines for Hybrid and Online Course Delivery will remain in place for all courses, regardless of mode of delivery for the Fall term.

Questions?

Please email Environmental Health and Safety at ehs@ocadu.ca if you have questions or require more information.