Winter classes at UFV that were scheduled to start on Jan. 5 are now starting on Jan. 10, and will be shifting to an online platform until Jan. 23, as a safety precaution in the wake of a fifth wave of COVID. The university opted to delay the start of the semester following the example of UBC and other post secondary institutes. UFV is taking these important steps in order to keep faculty, staff and students safe during the fifth wave of COVID-19, which has brought about a new variant known as Omicron.
According to the director of communications at UFV, Dave Pinton, “these decisions were made in collaboration with the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training and with Dr. Henry’s office.”
Pinton said that “moving online ensures the least disruption to our classes and to our work and the greatest accessibility for everyone. The delayed start of term has also provided additional time for the university to plan for how it will navigate ongoing issues through the semester as part of the latest wave.”
“According to the BC Provincial Health Officer, we are moving into a phase where, as a society, we must live with COVID-19 as part of our lives,” explained Pinton. “This shift to looking at the virus as commonplace is largely driven by the Omicron variant’s rapid spread.”
While milder in symptoms, this new variant is far more contagious and easier to spread than other variants. To counteract the threat of Omicron, there is a three-phase plan set to transition back to attending courses on campus.
“Last week, we entered phase one,” said Pinton, “with a return to in-person classes for very few programs that are time sensitive and require in-person learning to achieve course objectives.”
“Starting on Monday, Jan. 10 to Jan. 23, phase two will include the remote resumption of most classes scheduled for the Winter 2022 term. There will be some classes and programs that require in-person learning to achieve the identified learning outcomes … and impacted students have been notified by their professors.”
Finally, “phase three will start on Jan. 24 with a return to regularly scheduled methods of education as identified in the Winter 2022 timetable,” said Pinton.
When asked about what efforts are being taken to ensure safety, Pinton said that “the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff are our main focus at UFV as we fulfill our educational mission. [And] the University continues to follow the COVID safety guidelines set by the Provincial Health Officer, The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills training, and WorkSafe BC.”
According to Pinton, “the layers of protection employed over the past 22 months have kept transmission rates low at UFV. Post-secondary institutions in general continue to be considered low-risk for transmission of COVID-19 and have highly vaccinated populations.”
There have been a few changes to the winter semester dates, including a later end date to the semester on Apr. 14 to compensate for the late start. Final exams will begin on Apr. 19, with the length of the exam period being determined at the first regular Senate meeting of the year on Friday, Jan. 21. Reading break will still take place during the week of Feb. 20-27.
To stay updated on all additional changes and matters related to the university’s response to COVID-19, Pinton urges students to check their UFV email and notifications on MyClass (Blackboard) regularly. Students can also follow the UFV Urgent News blog and UFV’s social media platforms, which will notify students of any important updates.
There are many steps students and faculty can take to stay safe while returning to campus, such as completing the mandatory BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool, wearing the correct masks on campus and if sick, following the BC Centre for Disease Control’s guidelines. For further information on how to self check for symptoms of COVID-19, please visit the UFV website or the BC government website to look at the checklists provided.
Image: Fusion Medical Animation/Unsplash
Rachel is working towards a BA with a concentration in English and Theatre. She has been employed at The Cascade since Fall 2021 as a Staff Writer and a Jr. News Editor. Currently, she is the sectional News Editor and enjoys meeting and interviewing people as well as taking long walks in nature. Rachel also likes to stay up to date on the latest trends and informs students through her fashion column entitled Campus Fashion.
