Students who intend to live in the residences of two of Toronto’s largest universities, when classes resume in September, will have to prove that they have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
As Toronto University has already done, Ryerson University has informed students living on campus that they must have received at least one dose of a vaccine before or immediately after moving into the university residence. “This requirement is specific to resident students since they live in common, is necessary due to the high volume of cases and incidence rates among young populations and serves to promote a welcoming community on our campus where they can learn and thrive”: to write it to students who have applied to be able to reside on campus, was Ryerson’s Housing and Residence Life Department.
Ryerson has about 1,144 beds in three residential buildings on its campus in downtown Toronto, including some four-bedroom units where students share two bathrooms.
The university said it will send the first round of residency offers later this week and those who accept will have to honour that commitment regardless of whether classes take place in person or online. Those who will withdraw their application by June 17 will have their $50 application fee refunded.
A similar announcement, aimed at undergraduate students who intend to live on its three campuses during the 2021-2022 academic year, was made last week by Toronto University. “It’s really important that students are able to safely interact with each other and participate in the in-person programming that we know they value so much,” said Sandy Welsh, vice-chancellor of the U of T.
The University of Toronto can accommodate about 6,500 students in its 11 downtown residences, another 1,500 on its Mississauga campus, and more than 800 in Scarborough.
Both universities encouraged students to take the first dose of the vaccine at least two weeks before moving, but said that if that wasn’t possible, they would have two weeks after the transfer to book an appointment: you can also apply for an exemption for medical reasons or other reasons recognized by the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Welsh said the university will work with public health offices and local hospitals to host clinics to administer vaccines on its campuses, while Ryerson is already operating one.
The 12 campus reopening guidelines also include the demand for the use of non-medical face masks, mandatory self-screening, scheduling and capacity limits for indoor areas, reorganizing spaces and furniture in buildings to promote physical distancing, better ventilation, and greater cleanliness.
