Effective the first day of fall term on Sept. 8, Laurier will require masks for any indoor activity that is part of academic course delivery, including, but not limited to: lectures, tutorials, seminars, teaching laboratories, tests and exams and other forms of academic course instruction.

Wearing masks in these higher-capacity, close-proximity settings with groups gathering for periods of time, will help to limit the spread of COVID-19 within our community. The university may remove or enhance masking requirements as needed in response to changing conditions.

Masks are required for any indoor activity that is part of academic course delivery, including, but not limited to: lectures, tutorials, seminars, teaching laboratories, tests and exams and other forms of academic course instruction.

Masks are optional in other areas of the university; however, Laurier has designated some mask-only study spaces for students who choose to wear masks:

• Waterloo campus: Solarium study space and the third and fourth floors of the library.
• Brantford campus: SC Johnson Building second floor study space.

Note that some activities and events beyond scheduled classes may have mask requirements at the discretion of event organizers.

Members of our Laurier community may also request that you wear masks in close proximity interactions, such as meeting for office hours or with administrative staff. Please be respectful of these requests as individuals may have personal or family reasons for wearing masks.

Students requiring an accommodation from the face covering policy due to a disability as defined under the Ontario Human Rights Code should contact the Dean of Students Office. Documentation will be required for the accommodation to be approved.

Employees requiring an accommodation for the face covering policy should do so in accordance with Policy 8.7 Employee Accommodations.

A person engaged in teaching, presenting, instructing, lecturing, performance, or other similar activities is not required to wear a mask while engaged in that activity.

No food consumption is permitted during indoor instructional activities. If you require a drink, you may temporarily remove your mask to do so; however, your mask should be put back on immediately after drinking.

Laurier’s decision to require masking is aligned with our focus on the health, safety and well-being of our university community. Wearing masks in higher-capacity, close-proximity settings with groups gathering for periods of time will help to limit the spread of COVID-19 within our community.

Students can visit the Dean of Students Office on the Waterloo or Brantford campus to pick up a mask. In Waterloo, the Dean of Students Office is located in the Fred Nichols Campus Centre, room 2-209. In Brantford, the Dean of Students Office is located in One Market, room 207-40.

Masks are also available at the Students’ Union U-Desk in Waterloo and the Level One Lounge in Brantford.

In addition, masks are available for pickup at the Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work building in Kitchener. Visit room 106 in the Lyle S. Hallman building on Thursdays and Fridays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to pick up a mask, or email Zaida Leon at zleon@wlu.ca to arrange a pick-up time.

Anyone not following the mask requirements may be required to leave the class and may face penalties under the non-academic student code of conduct.

The requirement for Laurier students, faculty, staff and visitors to do active daily screening through the SAFEHawk app is paused. Laurier community members are expected to self-monitor and should refrain from attending Laurier’s campuses and locations if experiencing any symptoms of illness.

Students unfamiliar with Laurier’s COVID-19 symptom protocol are encouraged to familiarize themselves with it prior to the start of fall term.

Students can visit the Dean of Students Office on the Waterloo or Brantford campus to pick up rapid test kits. In Waterloo, the Dean of Students Office is located in the Fred Nichols Campus Centre, room 2-209. In Brantford, the Dean of Students Office is located in One Market, room 207-40.

Note that rapid test kits are also available at participating Ontario grocery and pharmacy locations.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or if you are informed of a positive case of COVID-19, please follow the appropriate protocols:

• Protocols for students with COVID-19 symptoms
• Protocol for employees with COVID-19 symptoms

You are also encouraged to visit the COVID-19 in Ontario website for information on self-assessment.

• As of Aug. 31, 2022, the Ontario government recommends the following: If you are in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, continue to self-monitor for symptoms and wear a mask for 10 days when in public.
• If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or another respiratory illness, stay home until your symptoms have improved for at least 24 hours, until your fever is gone and if you have gastrointestinal symptoms, until they have substantially improved for 48 hours. When returning to the university, wear a mask for 10 days after the onset of symptoms.
• Current guidelines can be found on the Ontario government website.

If students are ill and will miss course work or mid-terms, they must fill out the medical reasons declaration form. For final exams, do not use this form, but submit a petition to the faculty offering the course.

Laurier’s Facilities and Asset Management team has been looking at research and best practices from across North America, including by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers), on how to minimize infectious aerosols.

Approaches are matched for each of Laurier’s varying building types to the ventilation-related strategies that best suit that building. Right now, 50% more fresh air is being brought into Laurier buildings through the economizers in the HVAC systems. In addition to increasing the dilution of air, upgraded MERV filters have been installed to filter out more particles.

The primary objective of the Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) is to support the full engagement of students with disabilities in courses in their designed mode of delivery. For courses delivered in person, ALC will support students to attend in person. Students who are immunocompromised, seriously unwell, and unable to attend an in-person course should seek academic advising about alternative academic options.

In rare and unusual circumstances, the ALC will work with students and faculty to explore remote access to in-person courses when there are no other solutions. In these circumstances, students must provide documentation completed by a qualified health-care practitioner that clearly explains how the functional impact of their disability prevents them from leaving their home to attend in-person courses.

Additionally, Ontario Health encourages everyone who may have a serious health condition to get a third or even fourth COVID-19 vaccine booster.

Laurier paused its proof of vaccination requirements on May 1, 2022. As Laurier has done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to monitor pandemic conditions and take direction from public health and the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Laurier reserves the right to re-implement the vaccination requirement at any time in response to public health conditions.

Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, Laurier is strongly encouraging all community members to remain up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, including third and fourth doses, so that their work/study is not disrupted.

The university is reviewing opportunities to host vaccination clinics on our campuses this fall and will share more information as it becomes available.

Laurier community members can find information on how to book vaccine booster appointments in Brantford and Waterloo through the public health portals.

Should the vaccination requirement be reinstated, the university will not offer remote or hybrid options for students enrolled in in-person courses who do not meet this requirement. Failure to demonstrate proof of vaccination under a future mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy may result in deregistration from in-person courses for students who cannot verify compliance.

Should the vaccination requirement be reinstated, this requirement would apply to students living in residence.

If the vaccination requirement is reinstated and the meaning of “fully vaccinated” changes to include additional doses, remaining up to date on your vaccination status will ensure your stay in residence is not disrupted.

Please be advised that it is possible that students who are not fully vaccinated may not be eligible for a residence space.

Laurier’s pause of its vaccination requirement as of May 1 is in alignment with the province’s removal of vaccination passport requirements for restaurants, gyms and high-risk settings like hospitals and long-term care centres. This direction has the support of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Waterloo Region Public Health and the Brant County Health Unit given the Laurier community’s very high rate of vaccination (99% for two doses).

Remote learning is not an option for in-person classes. Laurier is an in-person community, and we believe a university education should be a holistic experience where students are able to build strong relationships with faculty and their peers. Various health and safety protocols have been maintained, such as increased hygiene and cleaning and upgraded ventilation. These policies and protocols offer our students opportunities for learning and connection in the safest way possible during the pandemic.