Carleton University, uOttawa to start winter terms online as COVID-19 cases increase

Courses are moving online for students of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa for the first three weeks of the winter term as the number of COVID-19 cases in the city continues to increase.

The two universities confirmed their plans in online statements on Thursday, December 16, both saying the shift is due to the universities’ concerns of the evolving Omicron variant situation across the province.

Staff at both universities are being told to continue to work from home until January 31.

Carleton University

Classes will begin online from January 10, 2022.

Depending on public health guidance, the university said it anticipates in-person learning to start up again on Monday, January 31 for courses currently scheduled to be delivered in-person.

“We understand that this pause in our safe and gradual return to campus is disappointing,” Benoit-Antoine Bacon, president of the university, said in his announcement. “However, in the face of such an aggressive variant, these measures are necessary to protect the health and safety of our community.”

As for exams for the fall semester, the small number of in-person exams scheduled from Monday, December 20 and onward will be moved online or rescheduled.

From December 20 until January 31, employees should only be on campus to perform necessary work that cannot be done remotely, the university outlined.

Research that cannot be performed from home can continue to proceed on campus following public health guidelines and indoor capacity limits.

Detailed plans for the library, residence and athletics will soon be released.

University of Ottawa

Working from home continues to be “strongly recommended” for those whose work doesn’t require them to be physically on campus, Jacque Frémont, president of the UofO, said.

Managers will work with employees up until the holiday break starting on December 22.

Fall exams will continue as planned up until December 22 as well. The vast majority of the remaining exams will be held remotely.

The in-person exams that are currently scheduled will be held as planned.

As for the winter 2022 term, the return to campus is postponed until January 31. Classes will resume on January 10 as planned and will be delivered virtually for at least the first three weeks of the term.

“Postponing the return to campus will allow the university administration to analyze the impact of the virus, in cooperation with public health authorities, in the coming weeks and to better protect all members of the university community,” Frémont said.

However, some courses will be offered in person because they require students to be physically present on-site, Frémont explained.

“In these exceptional cases, the professors and students concerned will be directly notified by their faculty,” he said. “In parallel, research activities will continue in person. In all cases, we will take all necessary measures to safeguard the health and safety of all students and personnel.”

The same decision applies to administrative and support staff.

The guidelines implemented to guide their returns to campus after the break will not take effect before January 31.