Upcoming Winter Semester at BU

By: Maria Garcia Manzano, AEIC of The Quill

As we approach the end of the first term, many students are wondering how next term will look like. On November 4th 2021, Brandon University confirmed that the winter term will look a lot like the current term. The university has decided to continue with its strong precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and keep students, faculty, and staff as safe as possible.

Therefore, the Winter 2022 Term, which begins in January 2022, will continue enforcing existing restrictions and mandates. These mandates have proven effective so far, and now BU faculty, staff and students have had a whole semester to become accustomed to them.

As quoted on the Brandon University Website: “We’re on the more cautious side, and we are not apologetic about that. We have seen a successful Fall Term, we know this has been working, and we believe this is a roadmap for a successful Winter Term,” said BU President Dr. David Docherty, who announced the plan at this week’s General Faculty Council and has shared it with the entire campus. “We are continuing in the mid-range ‘Phase Grey’ of our campus re-opening plan, which balances campus safety for everyone with the benefits of in-person learning and working where possible.”

This means that classes of 25 or fewer will continue to be held in person, where possible, and where space and scheduling considerations permit, while most larger classes will continue to be held online. The university will also continue to require physical distancing, continue to require masks be worn indoors, and continue to require vaccination in order to be on campus. The university is also continuing enhanced ventilation and sanitization.

Brandon university have also made a commitment to students: They will ensure that a class finishes the term in the same manner that it begins, with no mid-term pivot unless required by public health order. Although the general measures in Winter 2022 Term will be largely the same as the existing ones, the University is tweaking a few small elements. For example, some classes of more than 25 students may be held in person, if the professor requests it, and if physical distancing can be reasonably maintained. Professors have been encouraged to talk to their Deans to discuss possibilities. Furthermore, another slight change that BU members can look forward to include some more public events may be held on campus, for example, meetings for community groups that the university has traditionally hosted. These events will be permitted so long as all attendees can follow BU’s Covid precautions and all public health orders.