Sunday July 18, 2021 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated July 19 & 21, 2021]
by Molly Pearce | Island Social Trends | Editor: Mary P Brooke, B.Sc.
BC post-secondary institutions are now able to create their own communicable disease plans in time for this fall’s academic term, the first in-person term for most students in over a year.
A news release by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training earlier this month outlined the new Return to Campus Guidelines for students returning to in-person teaching at post-secondary institutions in BC this fall.
The everyday logistics of students’ in-person learning experience this academic year depend on the outcome of BC’s four-step restart plan. Within the Restart Plan, Step 4 is set to commence on September 7 in time for back-to-school. Step 4 presently includes a return to normal personal gatherings and social contact, even though a full-on respiratory season is expected by public health for this fall and winter (including influenza, RSV and COVID).
Vaccination is the cornerstone for return:
Vaccination for youth (age 12 to 17 years) and young adults is a big part of the progress for getting to Step 4. As of this Friday July 16, the COVID first-dose vaccination levels in BC reached 79.5% for persons over age 12 years; for full vaccination with two doses, the coverage for age 12+ so far is 49.9%, and all eligible British Columbians are being strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.
On Vancouver Island, over 1 million vaccination doses have now been administered. On July 16, Island Health announced that 78% people age 12+ have received one dose, and that 48% are fully vaccinated in the Island Health region.
Children under age 12 are not being vaccinated in Canada yet (Health Canada has not yet approved any vaccines for that age group), but they can still acquire and spread the infection.
Return to Campus Guidelines:
The Return to Campus Guidelines laid out by the Ministry outline the appropriate health measures needed for a safe and welcoming return for students. These guidelines come as a reassurance to students who have long anticipated an end to fully online learning. BC post-secondary institutions have been discussing with public health the return to in-person learning since the spring of 2021.
The COVID-19 Return-to-Campus Guidelines (issued July 5, 2021) include measures recommended by public health experts from BC Centre for Disease Control and regional health authorities, such as sanitization, distancing, and health checks to ensure this environment for students and staff.
The Guidelines mark an important shift from mandatory COVID-19 safety plans to individualized communicable disease plans developed by and for each post-secondary institution.
The Step 4 level expected to be in place as of September 7, 2021 allows for a return to normal personal gatherings and social contact for personal gatherings. For organized gatherings there will be increased capacity. Workplaces (including the post-secondary campuses for their employees) will be fully reopened; to operate, businesses will continue to follow communicable disease prevention guidance. For sports, competition will return when following communicable disease prevention guidance with an increase in outdoor and indoor spectators. Canada-wide recreational travel will be allowed.
Camosun College (Saanich & Victoria):
Representatives from Vancouver Island’s post-secondary institutions commented on the Ministry’s news release, including Sherri Bell, president of Camosun College and chair of BC Colleges.
Bell says: “Our focus is now on supporting the full return to in-person education and on-campus services in September 2021 as an important part of the BC restart plan. While some people may be a little nervous as well as excited, the health, safety and well-being of employees, students and campus visitors remains the priority.”
Classes that are beginning in September will be back to regular capacity as part of ongoing communicable disease prevention measures. Regular capacity will also be returned to public/common areas between now and September. Camosun published their Return to Campus Summary on July 5.
The transition period is effective immediately at Camosun, we will be gradually rolling out the transitional activities over the summer and into September and incorporate these activities into the planning that is already underway.
Much thought and planning has gone into this already:
Masks recommended (for use in all indoor areas until you are fully vaccinated), physical distancing (avoid forming crowds in indoor areas), occupancy limits (not enforced any longer), daily health checks (a personal responsibility), get tested (if you have symptoms), vaccinations highly recommended (staff get up to 3 hours without loss of pay to get vaccinated), barriers and partitions (some will be maintained), directional/flow signage (some will be maintained), communicable disease prevention plan (will be maintained), COVID safety training (no longer required), cleaning (increased levels no longer being maintained), events and student activities (adhere to PHO orders during Step 3), return to campus logistics (assessments will be done by Facilities staff), hand santizier stations (will still be available), mental health (links provided), contact tracing (handled by Island Health), and engaging with First Nations (will continue to be collaborative).
Vancouver Island University (Nanaimo):
Carol Stuart, Provost and Vice-President of Vancouver Island University also has the welcome mode in full swing. “VIU is excited to welcome more of our students and employees back to our campuses this fall, following the measures outlined in the Return-to-Campus Guidelines to keep the health and safety of our community as our top priority.”
While the experience of online learning at post-secondary institutions has not been without its challenges, Stuart comments on the need for adaptation. “Our time spent adapting programs and courses for remote delivery taught us about the importance and possibility of flexible delivery for our students, and we plan to build on that learning as we return to fall operations.”
The VIU COVID-19 Restart Plan was published on July 5, covering academic, offices, organized events, building access, travel, and student services. These are some of the specifics:
Students:
- FAQs on VIU’s 2021-22 Academic Year
- VIU’s COVID-19 Protocols for On-Campus Activities
- Mask Protocol FAQs
- VIU’s COVID-19 Safety Plans
Employees:
- Employee FAQs for Returning to Campus Fall 2021
- Employee Updates for Fall 2021
- Supports for Employees
- Mask Protocol FAQs
- VIU’s COVID-19 Safety Plans
- 2020 Home Office Expenses for Employees Working Remotely
University of Victoria (Gordon Head / Saanich):
Informed by public health guidelines — notably BC expecting to have reached Step 4 by September 7, the University of Victoria (UVic) is anticipating a full return to campus this fall. The “Return to Campus Info for Students” section of their website will be expanded upon soon, including welcome events, student services, and classroom, lab and studio spaces.
UVic emphasize that the new guidelines issued July 6 are effective immediately and replace the COVID-19 Go-Forward Guidelines for B.C.’s Post-Secondary Sector (June 2021) and the interim Return-to-Campus Primer (April 2021).
The UVic Communicable Disease Plan is in effect as of July 15, 2021 and replaces all existing COVID-19 safe work plans (SWPs) for campus units and researchers. The CD Plan contains all the required ongoing prevention measures to support a safe and full return to in-person education, research and on-campus services.
For the Fall semester (presumably under Step 4 of the BC Restart Plan), UVic’s guidelines include:
- Masks personal choice
- Normal social contact
- If you’re sick, stay home
- PHO-guided cleaning and hygiene measures
- Institutional Safety Plan
Variable comfort levels:
Other community leaders and members have similarly expressed their anticipation for the fast-approaching return to in-person learning. Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA Mitzi Dean says, “We know many students, faculty and staff are eager to return to campus, while others may be a bit anxious. Everyone should respect others’ comfort levels as we come back together and move forward.”
Some students and staff will start want to wear masks — and that is probably still wise in common areas such as crowded hallways and indoor lunchroom areas, as well as when working closely in a laboratory situation with others for a longer period of time.
Student anticipation:
Students who aim to continue their post-secondary studies as part of building and furthering their careers understandably have a range of thoughts and feelings about returning to campus after the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most forged through during the 2020-2021 academic year, if their studies were already underway. Some paused for a year, waiting for this fall and hoping the COVID situation would be better.
Some students found learning remotely to be convenient but others missed the social interaction of the campus and the face-to-face benefits of learning directly from an instructor in a formal learning environment. A sense of attrition in tuition rates is likely why this major plan from the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training has come forward with some fanfare (there were earlier hints of the full return to campus plan back in March of this year, even before immunization success could be measured).
Life goes on:
While many students are still coping with all the adjustments to a year-two pandemic reality on campus, one student at the University of Victoria https://www.uvic.ca meanwhile, describes her anticipation for the school year ahead, with the draw of being on campus overriding other concerns: “I think the feeling on campus this fall is going to be great. Everyone I know is so excited to get back in-person.”
With COVID-19 and broader communicable disease plans in place, post-secondary campuses are presenting themselves as safe and exciting places to learn and work come September.
===== About the writers:
This article was composed by Molly Pearce, student writer with Island Social Trends in this summer of 2021, along with Island Social Trends editor Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. Molly is heading into her third year at McGill this fall. Mary has been running this little publication since 2008 (in various formats, print and online), including giving opportunities to young journalists to learn the trade.
