Follow this link to see flowcharts describing next steps upon notification that a UCN student, staff or faculty member is not feeling well or advised to self isolate because of COVID-19.
Changing direction and rules around self-isolation can sometimes cause confusion. You can find the latest updates from the province at: https://manitoba.ca/covid19/fundamentals/self-isolation.html
University College of the North delays classes until January 10, 2022 and many courses will be delivered remotely.
UCN’s first day of classes for the Winter Term will be one week later than initially planned. The first day of classes will be Monday, January 10, 2022.
UCN will also adopt remote delivery for most courses. While some courses that demand face-to-face learning will continue to be delivered in person, many others will convert to remote learning.
The decisions resulted from the Omicron variant, which Manitoba Public Health says poses a significant risk to our health and healthcare system.
"We know that remote learning is not the best for our students' academic success or mental health. However, remote learning is the responsible option we have before us given the circumstances," said Dan Smith, Vice-President of Academic and Research. "While UCN will seek to maximize stability and predictability for students, as circumstances warrant, UCN may consider a return to in-person learning for selected courses and programs."
UCN's official vaccination policy can be found here.
Effective November 1, 2021, UCN Indigenous Centres can begin having sweats following UCN’s safety protocols/guidelines.
Watch for further information about upcoming sweats in your email and UCN’s Student Life Facebook pages for The Pas and Thompson.
For further information or clarification, contact:
Karl Laubmann
Centre Coordinator (Thompson)
Ininiwi kiskinwamakewin Centre
Marcia Chartrand
Centre Coordinator (The Pas)
Mamawechetotan Centre
Memorandum
From: Doug Lauvstad, President and Vice-Chancellor
To: All Students, Faculty, and Staff
Date: 29 September 2021
Subject: COVID Management Plan for UCN’s Winter Term, January 2022
UCN’s Winter Term 2022 COVID Management Plan
Guided by the requirements of Manitoba’s Public Health Orders, and based on the recommendations and the ongoing work of UCN’s Return to Site Steering Committee, beginning on Tuesday, 04 January 2022, UCN’s students, faculty, and staff will return to campus for the Winter Term and deliver courses and programs face-to-face at UCN’s teaching and learning locations.
UCN will continue to keep students, faculty, and staff safe, healthy, and engaged in education by managing the risks associated with COVID-19 throughout the Winter Term as follows:
Student Housing
Carroll Hall and other student housing will operate at full capacity. Any student residing in UCN housing must be fully vaccinated.
Faculty and Staff Are Expected to Return to Work On-Site at UCN
All staff are expected to be back at their UCN worksites as of Tuesday, 04 January 2022. Faculty are expected to be available to students and teach in the classroom similar to prior to the pandemic.
UCN is developing flexible work policies that may, in the future, allow some faculty and staff members the option to work remotely for a period of time. However, these policies are still in development and will be shared in the coming weeks.
Our Future, Together
Vaccination changes our relationship with COVID-19. Public Health officials advise that this illness will become endemic, meaning that we will have to live with COVID, like other illnesses, for the long-term. The significant protection afforded by vaccination and other precautions means that we can manage more safely in this new environment, allowing a return to full campus operations for the Winter Term in 2022.
We look to our future with optimism and hope to be safely together once again.
UCN’s policy on children on campus is still the same.
We love having kids on our campuses, but unfortunately COVID has changed the way we can include them in our community. While we have never allowed children in classrooms during class, our focus must now be on our internal learning community and the safety of everyone working and learning at a UCN location. We want to keep kids safe and the pandemic is reminding us how important it is to protect our little ones. Data is showing our youngest residents now account for largest share of new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba.
As of November 1st, unvaccinated people (including children) cannot enter a UCN location.
As of November 1st, everyone coming to a UCN location will need to meet UCN’s vaccination requirements. If faculty, staff, or students wish to bring a minor to a UCN location, that minor must be fully vaccinated and show proof of full vaccination. This policy will apply to everyone, at all UCN locations, and includes school tour groups and the children of our students, faculty and staff.
We love having children on our campuses. It supports and promotes education and can plant the seeds of opportunity in a young mind. We are looking forward to when we can include our young learners more fully in UCN’s community once vaccinations for them are available.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Please email communications@ucn.ca.
As of November 1, 2021, all students, faculty, staff, and visitors must be vaccinated if they intend to be physically present at a University College of the North (UCN) facility. Students, faculty, and staff who are working remotely and will not be coming into a UCN facility do not require vaccination.
This mandate prioritizes the health and safety of faculty, staff, students, and the broader community which has been UCN’s goal since the beginning of the pandemic.
The decision to mandate vaccination for the campus community was made in collaboration with other Manitoba colleges and universities with support from the Government of Manitoba.
The University will provide additional information to our faculty, staff, and students in the coming days.
“The goal is simple,” said President and Vice-Chancellor, Doug Lauvstad. “The University College of the North will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of our students, staff and communities that we serve. The Fall 2021 term will see an increase in on-campus activity and in-person classes. It’s well known that vaccines are an important and effective tool in reducing the transmission and effects of COVID-19.”
Health and safety protocols including masks on campus, physical distancing and self-wellness checks are ongoing. UCN’s detailed shared space protocols will continue to be followed until at least when the vaccine mandate becomes effective at the end of October, and likely beyond. Those protocols are updated regularly and can be found at ucncovid.ca/sharing-space-safely.
UCN will host on-campus vaccination clinics in partnership with public health for faculty, staff, and students.
Read UCN's Sharing Space Safely plan. The plan contains guidelines for safely reopening UCN
Everyone who is working on campus is required to self screen before coming to work. Click here for the UCN self screening tool.
If you feel sick or have COVID-19 symptoms, follow the Manitoba Shared Health COVID-19 screening tool found here.
If you or someone you work with tests positive for COVID-19, go to the Sharing Space Safely web page to download COVID Positive Checklists. Those checklists are also attached to this email.
From time to time, some UCN services may be limited due to how we are managing pandemic issues in an abundance of caution.
Any questions? Suggestions? Please ask! Many ideas for UCN protocols come from communicating during this pandemic. Email us at communications@ucn.ca
A flowchart is available to show next steps when a UCN student, staff or faculty member is not feeling well or advised to self isolate because of COVID-19.
There is no shortage of information at presentwith regard to COVID-19; however, you will want to ensure that you seek information only from valid and authorized sources. Included below are a numberof links torelevant and respected training and information about COVID-19:
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