Step 2 re-opening brings changes for campus operations

This message was originally sent to students and employees by Kate Windsor, director of safety.

• Region of Waterloo moves into Step 2 re-opening on Monday, July 12
• In-person course activity will begin or expand for some courses
• No change to research activities, further communication about research lab capacity will be forthcoming.

On July 8, Region of Waterloo Public Health announced that the Region of Waterloo will move into Step 2 of Ontario’s Reopening Framework.

The following updates to campus operations will take effect: 

• In-person course activity may begin on Monday, July 12 for courses that were originally scheduled to be in person this term but were moved online because of the provincial shutdown and stay-at-home order.
• Essential courses that continued in-person throughout the shutdown at a reduced capacity of 10 students can return to planned class sizes, with continued 2m physical distancing.
  The Office of the Registrar will share more information and instructions with instructors of in-person classes. You can find a list of these undergraduate and graduate courses on the COVID-19 website. 
• Employees who have been permitted to return to campus via a departmental COVID-19 Safety Plan may now start or resume permitted activities with the approval of their department head/chair/director. 
• There are no changes to permitted research activities. Further communication about research lab capacity will be forthcoming.

Changes to campus buildings and spaces:

• The Student Life Centre and Turnkey Desk are open Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. There is no study space, dining or lounge space available inside the building. 
• The former Bomber patio is open for use Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., seating for 1 person per table only.
• Athletics and Recreation continues to offer outdoor programming, training and intramurals at Columbia Icefield with restrictions (indoor facilities remain closed).
• W Store | Gifts + Apparel is open for in-person shopping Monday to Friday 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 pm. W Store | Course Materials + Supplies will re-open for in-person shopping in mid-August. Print + Retail Solutions will continue to facilitate textbook and course material ordering and offers shipping or curbside pickup options. W Print will be operating online-only until further notice.
• All Library locations are closed except for book pickup and delivery services. Davis Centre Library is open for study space only: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by appointment.

For those individuals working or studying on campus, please note that some COVID-19 signage is being removed from common areas, in preparation for the installation of new signage over the coming weeks.

Please continue to follow all public health guidance including physical distancing, daily self-assessment using Campus Check-In, hand hygiene and use of face coverings in all common spaces.

A reminder that there is now an on-campus vaccine centre for employees, students and their families, as well as the Rapid Antigen screening centre. We appreciate your efforts in continuing to keep our campus community safe.

Today it was announced that the Region may move into Step 3 with the province on July 16. Further communications will be forthcoming on what those changes mean when decisions are announced.