Ontario Government Extends Emergency Orders

Earlier this week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced an extension of the provincial public health emergency order to June 19, 2020. For now, staff and faculty able to work from home will continue to do so. Some U of G employees have returned to work on campus pursuant to earlier government announcements.

In keeping with provincial and public health guidelines, the University has prioritized physical distancing and is continuing only essential operations on campus.

Once universities are permitted to begin reopening, U of G employees who are required to return to campus for work will be notified by their supervisor.

If you are not conducting essential work or approved research, please do not come to campus.

Non-Instructional Use of Zoom

The University has three sanctioned web conferencing tools for use at U of G:

• Zoom for academic instructional use (via the Pro Licence that can be integrated with CourseLink) – supported by OpenEd
• Teams and Webex for all other business uses – supported by Computing and Communications Services (CCS)

While some features may make Zoom appealing for other uses, the information security team recommends against the use of Zoom for non-instructional related activities due to security concerns. It is only the Pro Licence version of Zoom provided by OpenEd that is recommended for use on campus, as it has additional security controls afforded via integration with CourseLink and Single Sign-On as well as other back-end security features. If instructors are using their own version of Zoom, it is recommended they connect with OpenEd to get access to the Pro Licence version.

For non-instructional use, Teams and Webex are the tools of choice. Teams has recently added new features like a grid view and a raise-hand function and will add a breakout room feature shortly – similar functionality to that desired in Zoom. For definitive use cases where the OpenEd version of Zoom is required for non-instructional purposes, users will need to go through a formal exception process that can be found on the CCS website. Scroll down to Exception Process for Zoom in Non-Academic Situations.

Your cooperation with this process is appreciated.

On-campus Events Cancelled Until September

Following government and public health directives and to help maintain physical distancing, events hosted at the University of Guelph are cancelled until September. For more information, contact event organizers.

2020 Fall OUA and U SPORTS Season Cancelled

With continued public health concerns due to COVID-19, Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and U SPORTS have made the difficult decision to cancel the Fall 2020 varsity season. The Department of Athletics has cancelled all Fall competition in accordance with the OUA and U SPORTS decisions. The cancellation of the Fall season also includes all Gryphon intra-club programs.

The Department of Athletics would like to thank our Gryphon community members for their understanding and particularly our student-athletes as well as the countless fans, partners and sponsors in the city of Guelph for their continued support through this unprecedented time.

More information is available on the Department of Athletics website.

Summer Camp Cancellations and Other Options

Although the Premier announced yesterday that Ontario day camps can run this summer provided they follow strict guidelines, the University of Guelph Department of Athletics has made the difficult decision to cancel all in-person July and August Gryphon camps, as they are currently programmed. As restrictions from the provincial government and public health are communicated, they hope to implement redesigned or modified programs where possible. As these plans are finalized, updates will be provided.

After careful consideration, the decision has also been made to cancel all eight weeks of the Outdoor Learning Program run by the Child Care and Learning Centre for this summer. The Child Care and Learning Centre remains closed.

Keep your kids entertained! If your child is looking for something to keep them busy when their school work is done for the day, the new online Gryphon Clubhouse program can help them build connections while having fun. These online programs will be available in mid-June and will provide your children with opportunities to connect with their favourite counsellors and have some fun.

Registration details and schedules for our Gryphon Clubhouse program can be found online.

Get Help with Childcare, Tutoring and Household Work: Hire a Gryphon!

Hire A Gryphon – Home Edition lets U of G staff and faculty post jobs for student workers. Using your uoguelph.ca email address, you can post jobs on the Experience Guelph job board for help with:

• childcare
• school tutoring for children
• home chores
• outdoor work or cleaning

Positions can be part-time, full-time or casual – whatever your current needs are.

Visit the Hire a Gryphon – Home Edition site for more information.

Health and Performance Centre Is Now Open

The Ontario Provincial Health Officer has permitted U of G’s Health and Performance Centre (HPC) to gradually resume operations effective immediately. The office is mandated to follow directions from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health as well as from various professional colleges to enforce hygiene and physical distancing protocols.

The HPC is committed to the health and safety of clients and staff and wants to make you feel comfortable and confident upon returning to the clinic. All patients and visitors to the HPC are asked to learn about new protocols before visiting the HPC.

Most HPC services are available for booking now. Temporary hours of operation are:

• Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: noon to 8 p.m.
• Tuesdays and Fridays: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For questions and appointment queries, call 519-767-5011 or email hpc@uoguelph.ca.

The University’s COVID-19 website is your best source of information on U of G’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.