The University of Windsor announced Friday that it will require all staff, faculty, and students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a Health Canada-approved vaccine beginning this fall.

The measure comes in addition to the robust safety protocols already established for the University’s return to campus plans. At least a first dose of a vaccine will be required by Sept. 1, and a second dose will be required by Oct. 1. Accommodations will be made for vaccination exemptions for medical reasons or under grounds protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

All members of the University of Windsor community returning to campus will be required to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and regular testing protocols will be established for those who are not vaccinated and/or have received accommodations.

“The health and safety of our campus community is our number one priority,” said UWindsor president Robert Gordon. “We have a responsibility to encourage vaccination, not only for the promotion of a healthy campus environment, but as a partner in the Windsor-Essex community supporting broader public health protection.”

The University is joining other postsecondary institutions across the province and the country, who are also taking these steps to ensure their communities are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, applauds the move.

“The University’s announcement today is a critical step in our collective fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Ahmed. “We are currently facing a potential fourth wave, and we must all work together to mitigate any further damaging health, social, and economic impacts for our region.”

The University of Windsor continues to prepare for a safe return to campus this fall through the implementation of health and safety measures, including:

• a variety of course delivery modes,
• daily self-assessments,
• mask-wearing, handwashing, physical distancing protocols,
• capacity limits in campus buildings, and more.

The University also recently launched a COVID-19 vaccination awareness campaign in partnership with student leadership to provide vaccine information, resources, and incentives for those to “get the jab and K.O. COVID.”

The UWinsite Student Update Project has reached the initial testing phase earlier than expected with most of the retrofit now complete. The update includes the latest security-related features, functionality, and fixes, ensuring the agility to meet ever-changing campus needs.

“The updates are behind the scenes and most users will not notice a major difference,” says acting registrar Lorraine Grondin. “At the same time, the update puts us in a better position to address issues as they arise.”

This is also in line with the University’s commitment at the onset of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) project for UWinsite Student to be sustainable, scalable, best-practice driven, and student-centric.

A core group of staff from the Student Accounts Office, Student Awards and Financial Aid, Information Technology Services, and the Office of the Registrar have been working on the project. Employees from these offices have dedicated part of their workdays to test the new environment, leaving less time to respond to issues and provide reports.

“We appreciate the campus community’s patience as we continue with this project,” Grondin says.

In the coming weeks, as the project moves to the final implementation phase, more individuals from across campus will be asked to test. This update is expected to launch on Nov. 22.

Questions regarding the UWinsite Student Update Project can be sent to UWinsite@uwindsor.ca.

How smart are companion animals? UWindsor anthrozoology professor Beth Daly joined the CBC Radio program Ontario Today to discuss people’s pet tricks Friday.

The call-in show, hosted by Giacomo Panico, provided a wide range of shaggy-dog stories, cat tales, and more, says Dr. Daly.

“Make no assumptions about the intelligence of any animal,” she told listeners across the province. “Most animals are smart.”

Appearing on the program made for a “really fun afternoon,” Daly said.

The episode, entitled “Think your pet is smart?” is available free on the CBC website.