Since announcing SLC's vaccination policy on August 12, the province of Ontario has made vaccine policies a requirement at all post-secondary institutions. Effective September 7, anyone accessing SLC campuses or facilities will be required to provide proof they are fully vaccinated, or demonstrate they have a recent negative COVID-19 test. This is an amendment to the original policy which required people to simply attest, or confirm they were vaccinated.
"Requiring proof of vaccination means the college is doing everything possible to confidently assure our students and employees that anyone on our campuses is either fully vaccinated (received the full series of a vaccine authorized in Canada at least 14 days ago) or has produced a recent negative COVID-19 test," says SLC President and CEO Glenn Vollebregt. "This requirement is enabling us to increase activity on our campuses for the fall semester and is why post-secondary institutions have been given amended guidelines for social distancing in instructional settings."
The province has issued Postsecondary Education Health Measures Framework for Fall 2021 that outlines circumstances in institutional settings where Phase 3 regulations can be amended considering colleges have taken steps to ensure the majority of people attending in-person instruction are vaccinated. Some of the amendments include lighter restrictions on social distancing in classes or labs and permitting campus access screening to be conducted via apps, signage, and other measures as individual colleges see fit.
"At SLC and within our provincial Ministry, people recognize the detrimental impact the pandemic has had on our students and college communities. People want to experience their education with the energy and connection that comes from a campus environment," says Vollebregt. "We have also seen the respect and consideration our students and employees have shown to public health guidelines, and this framework and our plans for September mean we can safely increase activity on our campuses while continuing to partner with public health."
The fall semester begins September 7 and SLC will be running a mix of in-person, on campus programming and courses delivered via various methods which include a mix of offsite, online, and alternative delivery.
ABOUT ST. LAWRENCE COLLEGE
St. Lawrence College is an integral part of the economic life and social fabric of Eastern Ontario, with campuses in Kingston, Brockville, and Cornwall. St. Lawrence College consistently ranks as one of Ontario's leading community colleges, preparing students for the global economy with relevant, practical, and experiential learning opportunities. Offering over 100 full-time programs, St. Lawrence College is a close-knit community of 10,000 full-time students and more than 100,000 alumni.
