NO LOCKDOWN RUSH AT MALL
Shoppers take warning to heart
Students at both St. Clair College and the University of Windsor are in the midst of writing exams virtually this week, meaning campuses were almost empty even before the Windsor-essex region moved to a grey lockdown position Monday.
For St. Clair College, approximately a dozen programs require more practical hands-on exams in person.
John Fairley, the college's vice-president of communications and community relations, said adjustments were made to ensure students were socially distanced with nine per room. Exam sessions were scheduled throughout the day and evening.
“This way all students from all programs would not be on campus at the same time for exams,” Fairley noted.
In addition, all non-essential college employees are allowed to work from home until Jan. 5.
St. Clair's winter semester starts Jan. 18 for the majority of programs while some that have specific accreditation requirements will open Jan. 11.
At the university, “all of the exams are virtual,” said Jennie Atkins, the executive director of continuing education and the person tasked with heading up the university's Return to Campus work group.
Atkins noted the move to grey lockdown in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the university's research labs.
“We did transition our research areas to a revised framework with adjusted capacity,” she said.
Study spaces at the Leddy Library and the CAW Student Centre have closed, as have the Forge Fitness Centre and the St. Denis Centre.
The university has reverted to an essential workers model when it comes to staff on campus and even then there's been “a reduction and rotation of on-campus shifts,” Atkins said.
The winter semester opens Jan. 11 which is the same day grey lockdown restrictions could end.
“If it's extended that will impact our winter semester,” Atkins said.
The university has already announced that in-person classes for Winter 2021 will have a capacity of 10 people.
The school website noted that further details about the winter semester will be forthcoming.