Updates

Dear UCN students and employees,

I hope you are as excited to start a new term at University College of the North as I am. 

Soon, we will see more students on our campuses than we’ve seen in a while. Orientation activities are planned, the buildings have been prepared, and faculty and staff have classes and supports ready. Thanks to everyone for making our campuses a welcoming environment for new and returning learners.

Health and safety are still priorities at UCN, and the pandemic is still with us. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 and how it affects us in the north, keeping public health guidelines at the forefront of our decision-making. We should all still be vigilant, wearing masks when appropriate, keeping our distance from others when possible and washing our hands often.

Here are the latest updates to pandemic protocols at UCN.

Keep up with vaccination boosters.

UCN no longer requires vaccination, but it is still your best defence! The COVID-19 immunization campaign in Manitoba is the largest in its history. Based on recent data in Manitoba, unvaccinated people are 139 times more likely to end up in ICU than those who have received their 3rd dose. Use this link to find a vaccination site near you. 

You can still wear a mask.

Masks are no longer required at UCN. This aligns with public health requirements and is similar to practice at most colleges and universities. You may choose to wear a mask based on personal preference. You can reduce the spread of respiratory droplets and aerosols and decrease your risk of infection by properly wearing a well-made, well-fitting mask. Learn more about mask guidance here.

Stay home if you feel sick.

It could be a cold, or it could be COVID. It is hard to tell until you take a COVID-19 test. For the safety of others on campus, stay home if you feel unwell. Use the Manitoba Shared Health Screening Tool to help determine if you have COVID-19. Public health officials strongly urge anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms, such as a cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache, or any of the symptoms listed in the screening tool, to isolate.

Things may change.

You’ve heard this before. As the pandemic shifts, so will UCN. We want to have campuses that are welcoming, vibrant, and safe. The decisions made surrounding COVID-19 are not taken lightly. There are many possible repercussions when requirements, class delivery, or work protocols change. Every decision up to this point has been made with the safety of our students and employees in mind. Thank you for your flexibility and support.

It’s time for a new start.

Each fall is a new beginning for UCN. Some of our students are starting post-secondary learning. Some are the first in their families to do so. Our role as an institution is to deliver and support our students’ education. It was a pleasure to celebrate our graduates in-person last June. Fall marks a different but just as important time. Thank you for supporting our students and helping each other.

Doug Lauvstad
President and Vice Chancellor

University College of the North

Changing direction and rules around self-isolation and monitoring can sometimes cause confusion.  You can find the latest updates from the province at:

Self Isolation: https://manitoba.ca/covid19/info-for-mbs.html#isolation

Monitoring: https://manitoba.ca/covid19/testing/monitoring/index.html