From Catherine Dauvergne and Wade Parkhouse | How we will return to campus in the fall
This message is sent on behalf of Catherine Dauvergne, vice-president academic and provost, and Wade Parkhouse, vice-provost and associate vice-president, academic. It has been sent to all faculty and staff and posted on sfu.ca.
- We are looking at a substantial return to our campuses in the fall, which means approximately 70 to 80 per cent of classes will be in person, with safety plans in place.
- Not all courses will be delivered in person. The fall will be a transitional term.
Dear colleagues,
We are writing to communicate SFU’s decision to make a substantial return to in-person activities in fall 2021 with approximately 70-80 per cent of teaching in person.
The remainder of this email provides details about this decision.
As we watch the distribution of vaccines in B.C. ramp up, and transmission rates reduce across the province, we are optimistic about our ability to pursue our original Plan A—a substantial return to our campuses in the fall.
How we are doing this
To date, our work on campus has been safe because of the safety plans we have followed. This will not change. We also continue to follow guidance from B.C.’s provincial health officer.
We have proven we can teach safely in person. In the fall, we will have the added benefit of a highly vaccinated community as the provincial health officer is forecasting our campus communities will be essentially fully vaccinated by late summer.
Not all courses will be delivered in person. The fall will be a transitional term. Deans, supported by the work of chairs and directors, will make final decisions about whether courses will be taught remotely or in person.
All staff should expect to return to campus in the summer in preparation for the fall as the in-person services we provide to support teaching, research and community engagement return to more normal levels in September. Faculty members should also expect to return to campus in the summer in preparation for the start of the fall term.
We know some of you will welcome this decision, while others will feel anxious or uncertain. Or maybe you will feel a combination of these things.
At SFU, we have a lot of experience bringing our community together because we know it takes all of our collective efforts to build an excellent student experience. So it is with our community in mind that we are planning our return to campus.
How we will maintain health and safety
SFU will continue to follow public health guidelines and implement safety precautions recommended by the BC Centre for Disease Control, WorkSafeBC, the provincial health officer and BC’s Restart plan. The provincial government recently shared its COVID-19 Return-to-Campus Primer, which provides interim, high level guidance to support planning for the return of faculty and staff throughout the summer, and for campus safety plan updates. The full provincial Go-Forward Guidelines are expected in June.
We are currently at Stage 2 of our Campus Recovery Plan. We are watching the progress of the pandemic and the vaccine rollout closely and we anticipate moving to Stage 3 in the coming weeks if the current trajectory continues.
For the fall, our goal is to make safety standards consistent across the university. We aim to have a high level safety plan for all teaching activities. If instructors are engaging in specific activities or using specialized equipment not addressed in the plan, they will be able to modify the plan in consultation with their unit/faculty.
Additionally, campus-wide safety plans will be created for areas such as offices, research labs, and common areas, some of which may be localized for specific circumstances. Existing recreational facilities, residence, and dining hall safety plans will be updated for the fall. SFU is proposing the creation of centralized safety plans for all institutional areas under our SFU GoForward Plan.
For all of us, going forward we need to ensure that we stay away from campus when we feel unwell. This will be a significant change in practice and we will all need to think through how to make it easy for our students and our colleagues to stay home when they are sick.
Transportation
SFU will continue to work with TransLink to ensure appropriate transit service to our campuses. The return of students will increase volumes, and Translink is working to be safe and be prepared by following their Safe Operating Action Plan.
Technology
Recent surveys of students have told us recordings of lectures have served them well during the pandemic. We are encouraging instructors to do audio captures of lectures, and where technologically feasible video/content recording as well. Not all technologies are suitable for every discipline, so academic units will consider how best to support their students. As we work on scheduling for the fall, we encourage instructors to consider their recording and other classroom needs. Guidance and options are on the CEE webpage.
On-campus services
As we get ready to return to our campuses, we will ramp up campus amenities including food services, the Bookstore and Spirit Shop, computer labs, library services and recreational services. Things will change quickly, so check our Return to Campus/Campus Services webpages for the most up to date information.
Next steps
The most important thing we can all do is get vaccinated. The reality is COVID-19 will continue to circulate in our communities for years to come. With advances in treatment and vaccinations COVID-19 will be less threatening, but it will not disappear in the short term. It will be part of our working environment, along with serious illnesses like influenza, meningitis, and others.
You may have questions as we move into this next phase of returning to campus. We are planning another faculty and staff townhall on Thursday, June 10, 11 a.m. to noon, with special guest Dr. Réka Gustafson, B.C.’s Deputy Provincial Health Officer. Stay tuned for more information about that soon in the What’s On newsletter.
In the meantime, thank you for all you do to ensure we provide a high quality education for our students. Your efforts are, as always, greatly appreciated.
Yours truly,
Dr. Catherine Dauvergne, QC
Vice-President Academic and Provost
Dr. Wade Parkhouse
Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Academic