Faculty FAQs Fall 2021 - Vanier College

Faculty FAQs Fall 2021
Can I change my TR (Traditional) course modality to Blended (BL)?
No, in the Plan A scenario, all course modalities will be Traditional, regardless of the designation on
the Master Schedule.

What if a student cannot come to campus for short-term medical reasons?
As per our IPESA, students have a right to accommodations in specific circumstances related to the
pandemic and for medical reasons. They must follow the usual process to make these
requests. Teachers must accommodate, but there is some flexibility in the method of
accommodation, and the length of the accommodations. The context of each course and each
student is different, which means the approach will be different. If you have doubts, please reach
out to your Dean. As more and more students and staff are fully vaccinated, we project a decrease
in approved requests.

Important NOTE about International students: some of our international students will be arriving
on campus after the first day of classes due to delays in issuing Canadian and Quebec study
permits in their home country, as well as difficulties getting flights to Canada. Many also need to
quarantine when first arriving in Canada. The International Education Office will contact teachers
who have students in these situations in their classes. Travel for leisure purposes will not be
deemed a justified absence by the College.

What if a faculty member cannot come to campus due to medical reasons?
Persons with medical concerns should continue to work with Human Resource Services to
determine the best course of action.

Will ZOOM still be available through Omnivox in the Fall?
Yes, to remain ready for any possible change in the health situation, ZOOM will continue to be
available throughout the Fall 2021 and Winter 2022 terms. Teams and Moodle will also continue to
be available and supported. Larger meetings (ex. Joints) may also be organized using these tools.

What precautions has Vanier taken to ensure proper cleaning, sanitization, and air quality for
the community?
Vanier will continue taking the same precautions as we have over the last two semesters. HVAC
systems have been set to operate continuously, and all filters have been upgraded to the
recommended MERV 13. As required, masks will be supplied to employees; wipes and hand
sanitizer available; regular cleaning of high contact surfaces will continue, as well as regular
cleaning of common areas and washrooms. Health & Safety continues to monitor the situation daily
and modifications will be made as needed.

Please refer to the phase 6 document and Faculty Hub FAQ on the Vanier website for more
information.

Will masks be provided by the College?
Yes, the College will provide procedural masks for all employees and students. Note that as per
CNESST directives, employees cannot wear a fabric face covering inside and must wear a
procedural mask

I’m nervous...who can I ask for help?
It is understandable to be somewhat nervous to transition back again to a different work modality.
Vanier College is proud to say that since March 2020, although there have been Covid cases on
campus, there has been NO contamination. Our protocols work and the College has always
balanced health and safety with our missions and the services we offer students.

Employees have access to an Employee Assistance Program and can reach out to HRS for any
question.

Students are invited to use multiple services offered by Student Services. We invite employees to
take note of them to refer students to the appropriate professional or service.

Can teachers make their own rules about masks in classrooms?
No, teachers must follow College directives for classroom health and safety protocols. Please
consider the possible obligation of a vaccination passport when planning outside campus activities
(ex. Construction site visits in Architecture Technology, Museum visits, etc). They will follow the
rules of that venue, which may trigger needs for accommodation.

Can teachers or staff ask students or colleagues about their vaccination status?
If the question is asked in the context of a planned event or activity that will require all participants
to have a vaccination passport, the question is valid and can be asked. However, no further
information can be asked of the individual as to the reasons the person may have opted not to be
vaccinated are private information.

What if a student asks for Covid-related accommodations related to religious reasons (for
example, access to activities requiring vaccination like extracurricular activities, wearing a
mask, etc.)?
The guiding principles for health and safety measures are DRSP and CNESST directives, based on
current scientific knowledge. For those reasons, religious reasons are not accepted as justified
exceptions.

What are the current rules for wearing masks as the semester begins?
Based on the latest directives, the message is very simple. Procedural masks need to be worn all
the time while inside the College, unless a distance of 2 metres can be maintained. While outside,
masks do not need to be worn if physical distancing is respected.

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What if I don’t want to wear a procedural mask? For example, I would prefer to wear my
KN95 mask or a visor; or because I’m a language teacher, I want to wear one of the masks
where students can still see my lips.
Procedural masks must be worn by all staff according to the CNESST. That being said, if you are
having difficulties with these masks, or have other concerns or questions related to masks, contact
Arianne Duchesne (duchesna@vaniercollege.qc.ca).

How will I know whether I am 2 metres away from students to know whether I can remove my
mask to teach?
Markers on the floor of every classroom were added so everyone can visually identify the "teacher
space" from the rest of the classroom. This will ensure 2m distance so the teacher can remove their
mask (if desired) once in this space. Hopefully, this will make it clearer for faculty and students, so
we can have a safe teaching and learning environment. The marking of this space takes into
account the number of desks in the room so it is VERY important that teacher do NOT remove any
desks from their classrooms.

Are students allowed to eat in class (which would, of course, require that they remove their
masks)? What should a student with back-to-back class do?
As in normal circumstances, students are not supposed to eat in class. If they must eat inside the
College, they will need to go somewhere where they are 2 metres away from everyone else or in
the designated eating areas (ex. Jake’s).

What if someone cannot wear a mask at all?
Students who have a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask on Vanier
College’s grounds must make an appointment to meet with the Director of Student Services,
through students@vaniercollege.qc.ca. The student will need to carry a copy of the signed
disclaimer at all times. Employees in the same situation will have the same procedure through
Human Resources Services and the Director of HRS will sign the disclaimer. Please refer to the
College Operations Guide for Faculty and Staff for more information:
https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/virtual-hub/files/2021/08/guide-phase-VI-faculty.pdf

What if a student is not following the rules as it pertains to masks in my classroom?
If they refuse to comply with the health regulations following a conversation with them, contact
Security via the white boxes in the classroom or call extension 7575. Thank you to everyone
helping to remind students and staff to respect proper health and safety protocols.

Where do I get my masks?
Masks will be supplied at all entrances at the College; however, each Faculty Office is setting up a
system where teachers can pick up a box at a time for their own use.

Will the College be recycling the procedural masks?
Yes, we are looking into recycling options.

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What precautions has Vanier taken to ensure proper cleaning, sanitization, and air quality for
the community?
Vanier will continue taking the same precautions as we have over the last two semesters. The
HVAC systems have been updated, including improved HEPA filters equipped with UV rays. As
required, masks will be supplied; wipes and hand sanitizer will be available in classrooms and
regular cleaning of door handles and railings will continue, as well as the regular cleaning of
common areas and washrooms. Health & Safety will be conducting air quality testing throughout the
semester, and will continue to monitor the situation daily and modifications will be made as needed.

How is the College going to handle quarantines? What if an entire class needs to
quarantine? What if a teacher needs to quarantine? What happens in this case?
If everyone continues to follow the directives in place, then even if a Covid case happens in your
class, you and your students would very likely be classified as “low risk”. There would be no
quarantine imposed and you would simply monitor your symptoms. Based on current directives, a
2-week quarantine would only be imposed in high-risk scenarios where you were not wearing a
mask and were in close physical contact with an infected person for more than 15 minutes.

The College has a team of staff trained in tracing, to assist the DRSP (Direction régionale de santé
publique). They can assess each situation rapidly and establish the proper protocol to ensure
safety. Vanier College is still proud to say that although we have had cases on campus, no one has
been contaminated with COVID-19 on campus since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

As for Academic Continuity in case of multiple absences due to COVID-19 (quarantines or cases),
each case will be assessed to determine the best option for the course, program, students and
staff.

How are the classes to be made up if a class (students and/or teacher) is required to
isolate?
In the case of a teacher needing to quarantine, it will proceed according to our current substitution
policy as it would have been in the past. In other words, if it is a first absence, class is cancelled
and there is no replacement or substitution. Our policy is that the first class is just cancelled (with no
paid substitution) and then future classes require a substitute. A teacher may assign homework or
at-home learning activities for this missed class. For a second absence, a substitute can be paid to
cover the missed class. Please note that other options are currently being discussed with respect to
this policy that consider the best means of academic continuity in these types of scenarios. We
need to consider options that also consider IT limitations and student readiness to adapt to any
online course activities. Teachers should discuss with their Faculty Dean if some situations require
deeper analysis (ex: multiple absences). Do not hesitate to contact your dean or supervisor for any
question.

In the case of students needing to isolate, IPESA (IPESA_2020-11-30.pdf (vaniercollege.qc.ca) is
the policy that applies. Students must take responsibility for missed classes by catching up on
missed activities. Teachers must accommodate if the absences are justified. This semester, the
respect of COVID-19 protocols are recognized as justified absences. Teachers are expected to
accommodate students in these situations (ex: makeup assessments).
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Many teachers are receiving MIO’s from students saying that they need to quarantine (ex:
forced quarantine upon arrival from Canada after travelling). How is a teacher supposed to
know whether this type of absence is considered “excused” and should be accommodated
or not?
As per our IPESA, students that cannot be on campus must provide documentation to support their
situation. If in doubt, teachers can contact their Faculty Dean’s Office for guidance.

Important NOTE about International students: some of our international students will be arriving
on campus after the first day of classes due to delays in issuing Canadian and Quebec study
permits in their home country, as well as difficulties getting flights to Canada. Many also need to
quarantine when first arriving in Canada. The International Education Office will contact teachers
who have students in these situations in their classes. Travel for leisure purposes will not be
deemed a justified absence by the College.

Some other colleges are asking teachers to send reports to their health services regarding
students exhibiting symptoms. If we have a student with symptoms in class, is there
anything we should be doing?
Please refer to the Phase 6 document and emergency protocol (guide-phase-VI-faculty.pdf
(vaniercollege.qc.ca). If anyone on campus is experiencing flu-like symptoms while at the College,
we ask you to leave the premises and go home. Please send an email to the Vanier Security at
security@vaniercollege.qc.ca and call the Health Authorities at 514-644-4545.

In the Phase 6 document it says that "we ask that symptomatic people remain home and
report to security at security@vaniercollege.qc.ca and their immediate supervisor." What
does this mean exactly?
For teachers, this means they should notify security, their Faculty Office and department
coordinator. Absences need to be reported in Omnivox as per usual times when someone was sick.

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