OCUFA President Sue Wurtele has written to Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities and Minister of Labour to express concern with the government’s plan for universities to fully reopen this fall. The plan was developed without consulting sector stakeholders, including faculty. As a result, it does not address some of the main concerns of those working and studying at Ontario’s postsecondary institutions.
These concerns include: the inadequacy of ventilation systems on campus to combat the airborne nature of COVID-19, the need to engage Joint Health and Safety Committees in return-to-work planning, and the importance of consulting faculty and postsecondary sector stakeholders in developing any guidelines for the safe re-opening of campuses.
OCUFA has requested a meeting with each ministry to discuss these concerns.