At the very last minute and a week before the start of an in-person return to campus, the Ontario government, Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU), introduced new guidelines today exempting postsecondary education institutions from capacity limits and physical distancing measures on campuses.
As we face a fourth-wave of the pandemic, with a more transmissible Delta variant, any removal of indoor capacity limits and physical distancing (in classrooms, for example), as well as other health and safety measures including proper ventilation and water systems and their regular maintenance, will pose unnecessary risks to our members, their families, our students, staff and the community surrounding York University.
YUFA encourages colleagues to attend tomorrow's SGMM at 2pm and to read the OCUFA statement in response to this breaking development. YUFA has alerted senior administration regarding our concerns and has called for an Emergency COVID Table Meeting.
The Ministry of Colleges and University's memorandum can be found here.