Re: on another point: : Without mandatory vaccines, more campus shutdowns are inevitable

Hi Chris,

Thanks very much for following up on this and sharing the information with us.

What the Covid-19 Response Team at SFU is saying re the impossibility of a mandate seems to contradict what Dr. Henry said on July 27th:

“ . . . And universities are looking at what are the measures they need to take in their setting to make it as safe as possible . . . that may mean if you’re living in residence that you need to have proof of immunization.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It1afVleAqA

Part about post sec is at about 42:12 to 43:12.

Thanks again,

Baharak

_____________

Baharak Yousefi (she/her)
Librarian for History, International Studies, Graduate Liberal Studies, & Political Science

Belzberg Library | Simon Fraser University | 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1G4

Occupied Xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories | #LandBack

From: Christopher Pavsek <cpavsek@sfu.ca>
Sent: August 3, 2021 1:54 PM
To: Baharak Yousefi
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: on another point: : Without mandatory vaccines, more campus shutdowns are inevitable

Hello--I was curious about this and queried the president's office/VPA. I specifically asked if the University or the Province had made the decision to forego a vaccine mandate.

I got a response from the Covid-19 Response Team at SFU.

This is what they said:

"Regarding mandatory vaccinations, there is no requirement for proof of immunization under the University Act, making it impossible for the university to establish such a mandate, which would also be difficult to enforce. There are no universities in British Columbia currently requiring proof of immunization. All post-secondary institutions continue to monitor the advice of the province and will take the Provincial Health Officer’s direction on this."

My reading of this is that the university could mandate more than the province is recommending--masks, or distancing, or other measures perhaps?--but not vaccines.

I thought this might clarify things a bit.

Chris

On Jul 29, 2021, at 11:28 AM, Baharak Yousefi <byousefi@sfu.ca> wrote:

Hi Chris,

My understanding is that yesterday Dr. Henry said it is up to each university/college to set their standards above and beyond provincial health orders.

I didn't hear this myself, but here's the link to Liza Yuzda's reporting.

Best,

Baharak

_________________

Baharak Yousefi (she/her)
Librarian for History, International Studies, Graduate Liberal Studies, & Political Science

Belzberg Library | Simon Fraser University | 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1G4

Occupied Xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories | #LandBack

From: Christopher Pavsek <cpavsek@sfu.ca>
Sent: July 29, 2021 11:11 AM
To: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: on another point: : Without mandatory vaccines, more campus shutdowns are inevitable

Regarding frustration with the university's lack of a vaccine requirement: my understanding, which might be incorrect, is that SFU must follow provincial direction on any vaccine mandate. That direction comes from the Ministry of Health and the Min. of Adv. Education, or whatever it's called these days.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

So if faculty and staff want to pressure the university to implement a vaccine requirement, pressure would have to be applied to the university and to the relevant levels of government.

Such requirements are common in the US.

Best

Chris

On Jul 29, 2021, at 10:46 AM, Lyn Bartram <lyn@sfu.ca> wrote:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-without-mandatory-covid-19-vaccination-on-campus-we-will-face-another/

Dr. Lyn Bartram
Professor, School of Interactive Arts and Technology

Director, Vancouver Institute of Visual Analytics

Simon Fraser University | SRYC
250 – 13450 102nd Avenue, Surrey, B.C. V3T 0A3
v 778 782 7439 f 778 782 9422 m 604 908 9954

http://www.sfu.uca/~lyn | Skype: drlynb
<OutlookEmoji-15753042296078dab3b27-0b5a-41a0-b6d6-ebe6e14c0dc9.png>

**************************************
Christopher Pavsek, Ph.D., MRM-Planning
Associate Professor of Film
Simon Fraser University
149 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4
Canada
cpavsek@sfu.ca

I respectfully acknowledge that I work on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

**************************************
Christopher Pavsek, Ph.D., MRM-Planning
Associate Professor of Film
Simon Fraser University
149 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4
Canada
cpavsek@sfu.ca

I respectfully acknowledge that I work on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.