Brandon University to maintain existing Covid precautions for Winter 2022 Term

Next term at Brandon University will look a lot like the current term, as the university continues its strong precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and keep students, faculty, and staff as safe as possible.

The Winter 2022 Term, which begins in January 2022, will continue existing restrictions and mandates that have proven effective so far, and that members of the university community are used to.

“We’re on the more cautious side, and we are not apologetic about that. We have seen a successful Fall Term, we know this has been working, and we believe this is a roadmap for a successful Winter Term,” said BU President Dr. David Docherty, who announced the plan at this week’s General Faculty Council and has shared it with the entire campus. “We are continuing in the mid-range ‘Phase Grey’ of our campus re-opening plan, which balances campus safety for everyone with the benefits of in-person learning and working where possible.”

This means that classes of 25 or fewer will continue to be held in person, where possible, and where space and scheduling considerations permit, while most larger classes will continue to be held online.

The university will also continue to require physical distancing, continue to require masks be worn indoors, and continue to require vaccination in order to be on campus. The university is also continuing enhanced ventilation and sanitization.

Docherty said that the university will further commit to ensuring that a class finishes the term in the same manner that it begins, with no mid-term pivot unless required by public health order.

“We know how important certainty is for everyone at BU, and throughout the pandemic we have striven to outline plans that we can stick to, making changes only when we believe they are firmly supported and that we can be confident in them,” Docherty said. “There’s been enough uncertainty and our goal is to deliver another safe term of learning and working with no surprises.”

Although the general measures in Winter 2022 Term will be largely the same as the existing ones, the University is tweaking a few small elements.

Some classes of more than 25 students may be held in person, if the professor requests it, if pedagogical reasons support it, and if physical distancing can be reasonably maintained. Professors can talk to their Deans to discuss possibilities.

As well, some more public events may be held on campus, for example, meetings for community groups that the university has traditionally hosted. These events will be permitted so long as all attendees can follow BU’s Covid precautions and all public health orders.

 

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