The University has announced it will cancel classes effective March 13th as they begin to transition towards online forms of delivery. Further communication about this transition will be provided by Monday March 16th at the latest. This cancellation only affects face-to-face activities on campus – existing online classes and clinical placements will continue as scheduled. Midterms scheduled for Saturday have been postponed, more information will be provided by professors. The university remains open to support this transition and maintain its operations. The Teaching and Learning Centre is preparing training materials for those requiring support with any transitions. Changes to the mode of delivery in a course are covered under Article 16.03 e) for tenured and tenure-track faculty members, and Article 16.08 d) for teaching faculty members. If you have any questions or concerns about changes to the mode of delivery, please contact us at [email protected].
You have the right to refuse unsafe work. The University is obligated by our Collective Agreement to pay any required salary and benefits. Tenured, tenure-track, and teaching faculty members’ salary and benefits are also protected by short-term disability provisions. Many medical centres are refusing doctor’s notes, so any absences on medical grounds should be accepted on an “honour system,” in line with University practices for students. Please let us know if your absence is not accepted in good faith. Any violations of the terms of the Collective Agreement and/or term contracts are subject to the grievance and arbitration process, and so please do let us know immediately if you experience any issues.
More information from the Canadian Association of University Teachers: https://www.caut.ca/latest/2020/03/caut-update-covid-19
We continue monitoring this situation, and will provide any further updates as available. While our office will be closed until further notice, if you have any questions, concerns, or issues, please contact us at [email protected].