Dear UWindsor Community,
Members of the UWindsor community have asked for greater clarity regarding plans to return to campus, and we acknowledge how important it is to provide as clear a sense as we can about how the rest of the semester will unfold. Over the past weeks, we have consulted with local and provincial health officials, members of the campus community and colleagues at other post-secondary institutions. Our collective goals are to keep our communities and our universities safe, while maintaining and supporting the research, knowledge creation and learning goals of everyone who is part of our campus.
On-campus experiences are foundational to our mission. The last 20 months have been challenging for all of us, despite the extraordinary efforts of everyone involved. The importance of learning and working together has been made increasingly clear to all of us.
The University of Windsor’s return to on-campus learning and work will begin on Monday, January 31.
All courses (classes and labs) that were designated as in-person in the Winter 2022 timetable will be delivered on-campus. Classes and labs that were designated as online (exclusively or through the online option of the hy-flex delivery) will remain online.
Employee return to campus is also important to ensuring a high-quality student experience. Staff who were asked and able to work fully remotely after the December 17 announcement will begin a gradual return to campus on January 31, with the goal of applicable departments and units achieving up to 50% capacity by the end of February. Faculty return will be guided by their teaching and research commitments as guided by their AAU and Faculty plans. It is important for us to support each other at all levels to make our return to campus process as smooth, safe and responsive as possible over the weeks to come.
More detailed information will be included in subsequent Return to Campus updates. As throughout the pandemic, UWindsor will ensure that the needs of our campus community are met.
The health and safety of the entire UWindsor community is and will remain our top priority.
February is expected to bring lower case counts and a reduced burden on our healthcare system, allowing for a return to campus for classes and labs that were set to be delivered in-person. If you are fully vaccinated according to our vaccination policy, this two-week lead time provides those who have not yet received a booster shot the time to do so. Vaccinations continue to be our best defence against serious illness and hospitalizations and help to protect the healthcare system.
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Wednesday, January 19: St. Denis Centre, 9:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
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Monday, January 24: Windsor Hall, 9:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
In addition to vaccination, we have taken a layered, multi-faceted approach to keeping everyone on campus safe. These efforts include:
- COVID-19 Vaccination policy
- Daily screening requirement through self-assessment questionnaire
- Building access protocols (QR code scanning)
- Heightened on-campus contact tracing
- On-campus COVID-19 rapid antigen testing
- Masking and physical distancing requirements
- Encouragement of hand and respiratory hygiene
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces and high traffic areas
- On-going monitoring of air quality
As the Ontario Science Table has communicated “No single action is perfect. There are holes. Like Swiss cheese. More protection layers = fewer holes.” Multiple layers of protection reduce transmission risks and protect individuals and groups. It is critical that we are all fully aware of and follow the safety plans for our areas.
