Dear Brock community,

I’m writing to you today with an update on the Winter Term and Brock’s response to COVID-19.

Our top priority continues to be providing a safe learning and working environment for students, faculty and staff, with the goal of getting students back on campus as soon as possible.

We continue to monitor the rapidly changing environment surrounding the Omicron variant, and together with our colleagues across Ontario, we are doing everything possible to provide the meaningful, on-campus experience for which students have so strongly advocated.

I want you to know that I share your frustration at the circumstances in which we find ourselves. I too want to see us return to a more normal situation, without further disruption to campus activities — especially the on-campus learning so many students desire.

To that end, I encourage everyone to get their COVID-19 vaccine booster as soon as possible, and to continue following all public health guidance.

As announced earlier, most classes will resume Monday, Jan. 10 through online delivery. On-campus delivery of classes is planned to resume on Monday, Jan. 31, giving students, staff and faculty time to receive their COVID-19 vaccine booster, which will help ensure a safe return to campus.

During the period of online course delivery, the campus will remain open. Anyone attending the campus must continue to follow all public health guidelines, including masking and physical distancing unless in an approved setting, and complete daily screening through Brock’s safety app.

Additionally, the following measures will be in place on campus at least until the end of January (see full operating guidelines list):

• Work-from-home arrangements are in place for any staff not required on campus due to nature of their role.
• Only time-sensitive research is permitted (with a priority on student degree progression).
• Main floor access and bookable space (subject to capacity limits) is available at the Brock University Library.
• Recreational facilities are closed.
• All dining service is take-out only.
• The Computer Commons is open (subject to capacity limits).
• The Campus Store is open online and in-store (subject to capacity limits).
• Reduced occupancy will continue in residences.
• No university business travel is permitted, with limited travel for research purposes.

As we have throughout this pandemic, we’ll continue to provide regular updates to keep the community informed as new information becomes available.

Thank you for your continued patience, support and resilience as we navigate this unprecedented situation together.

Sincerely,

Lynn Wells

Interim President and Vice-Chancellor
Provost and Vice-President, Academic