This update is provided for archival purposes only.

Public Health guidance and University of Waterloo operations may have changed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our COVID-19 frequently asked questions.

Mandatory reporting of visits to campus buildings using Campus Check-In

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Update for employees and students


As part of our staged return to campus plans for Fall term, we are sharing details of a three-point approach to supporting the health and safety of our campus community.

  • We have developed a tool called Campus Check-In that will help us monitor campus building occupancy levels and assist with contact tracing COVID-19 cases in our campus communities.
  • This tool allows us to follow up with effective contact tracing should there be any positive cases of COVID-19 on our campus.
  • Campus Checkin also includes a requirement for everyone to conduct a self-assessment before coming to campus. Effective, September 8, 2020, you must record every visit to campus buildings using Campus Check-In.

How Campus Check-In works

You can choose to log your attendance in campus buildings using the automatic or manual recording options, described below.

Automatic recording of details (recommended option)

The automatic reporting option uses the eduroam wireless network. Any device (i.e. phone, tablet, laptop) you connect to the campus Wi-Fi will automatically record your username, building access point (location), and time of connection. You don’t need to do anything else if you choose this option.

Manual recording of details

If you do not have a Wi-Fi enabled device, or choose not to connect to eduroam, you must complete the Campus Check-In form. You will be asked to record the buildings you visited and the times you arrived and left. You must complete this form every day you visit campus and for every building you visit.

If you don’t normally have access to any kind of device or computer that can access this tool, please speak to your supervisor about a plan to record your building visits.

Automated email reminder

In both cases above, you will get an email reminder from do-not-reply@uwaterloo.ca to complete a COVID-19 self-assessment the first time you come to campus each day.

Before you come to campus

Campus Check-In will allow us to meet guidelines from the Government of Canada for post-secondary institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reviewed by Region of Waterloo Public Health, the tool is available to all students, employees, and visitors, and will help us:

  • provide students and employees with a reminder to conduct a health self-assessment each day of planned attendance on campus,
  • support local Public Health authorities with contact tracing responsibilities,
  • assist units in evaluating the success of their return to campus plans,
  • allow the University to identify potentially overcrowded areas,
  • and support Plant Operations building management for custodial services and energy use.

Protecting your privacy

The privacy of our community is of utmost importance. Policy 46 - Information Management and the Guidelines on Use of Waterloo computing and network resources protect any personally identifying information that eduroam collects.

Occupancy reporting

We will make building and departmental occupancy level reports available to campus leaders to assist in evaluating return to campus plans. For privacy reasons, these reports will include only non-identifying data in aggregate form (e.g. overall number of people in a building).

Contact tracing

In the event a member of the University community tests positive for COVID-19, our Health Services and Occupational Health teams will use data from more detailed reports to contact anyone who may have come in close contact with COVID-positive cases in our community.

Visit the COVID-19 Information website to learn more about Campus Check-In.

You can send questions about Campus Check-In or any other campus safety issues to coronavirus@uwaterloo.ca.