Dear York Community,
The health and safety of the York community continues to be our highest priority. In light of recent guidance issued by the Ontario Government, and reduced activity on our campuses due to the completion of classes, York University will be limiting in-person campus attendance to those who are required to help complete the term, effective immediately.
Given the need for our community to have clear information about the Winter term before we break for the holidays, we are also making some modest adjustments in January. While the rapid spread of Omicron is daunting, further information is expected over the next couple of weeks about this variant in regards to its likely trajectory. We will be monitoring these developments closely over the break and will continue to keep community members informed of any impacts posed to university operations. Here are the upcoming changes that you can expect:
On-campus activities in December
- The Fall 2021 exam period will continue to be delivered in-person, with only as many staff on campuses as are needed and additional safety measures are being implemented, including two-metre physical distancing in exam spaces.
- As classes have concluded for the Fall term, the University is further enabling remote work arrangements, where possible, to ensure that there are only as many staff on campuses as needed.
- In-person holiday events and in-person meetings must be cancelled or switched to a remote format, unless required for essential purposes.
- On-campus research can continue but researchers are encouraged to conduct research activities remotely where possible, avoid close contact interactions whenever possible and follow approved health and safety plans.
- Research involving human participants can also continue, though researchers are strongly encouraged to consider using online tools to conduct such activities. Face-to-face on-campus research with unvaccinated human participants is prohibited for the immediate future.
- Where employees must continue to attend campus to support a successful exam period or other operations, they will need to closely adhere to the University’s Vaccination Mandate policy and public health requirements outlined in the community of care commitment.
Update on the winter term
- The Winter 2022 academic term will commence as planned on January 10 (January 5 for some programs); however, the in-person delivery of courses and most on-campus activities will resume on January 24.
- From the start of term until January 23, all classes will be delivered in a remote format unless it is essential that they be delivered in-person.
- Instructors should contact their Dean’s Office to seek permission to deliver a course in-person before January 24.
- While we wait for further information regarding Omicron, early data continues to support the value of vaccination against serious illness and all members of the community are encouraged to get their vaccine booster as soon as they are eligible.
- The University continues to enforce the Vaccination Mandate policy and any students who did not upload proof of vaccination by December 1 are being de-enrolled from courses with in-person components.
- Anyone attending York’s campuses will need to closely adhere to the University’s Vaccination Mandate policy and public health requirements outlined in the community of care commitment.
For anyone who would like access to campus over the holidays, please see these details on the Better Together website. As updates continue to be issued by the Ontario Government, the Chief Medical Officer of Health and Toronto Public Health concerning the status of the pandemic, we will continue to update you.
I want to thank everyone for your continued support, and I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.
Sincerely,
Rhonda Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor