The University of Guelph significantly scaled back or shut down many research activities in response to the declaration of a state of emergency made by the Province of Ontario on March 17, 2020.
In the time between March 17 and June 12, some research was approved for continuation on the basis of its time sensitivity and/or critical nature.
With the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph region entering Stage 2 of the Province of Ontario’s re-opening plan on June 12th, the University of Guelph is now positioned to begin to resume more of our research activities.
U of G’s Office of Research has created a document intended to provide a framework for the University of Guelph to gradually phase in research activity that has been curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now available on the Office of Research website.
The document lays out a framework, including principles, responsibilities, and guidance, to enable more research to resume in a measured, gradual fashion, where a premium is placed on ensuring the collective health, safety, and well-being of the members of the communities in which we live.
This document should be used by colleges, academic units, and researchers to develop and approve the plans necessary to start to bring reasonable research activities on line, beginning Monday, June 29, 2020.
Beyond June 29, this document should be used to guide further, measured phase in of research.
Critically, as per the principles, this document is meant to support the safe resumption of some research activities. It should also be recognised that, due to the changing state of affairs related to the pandemic, this framework may be modified, replaced, or superseded by other plans or directives as necessary. This might also entail curtailing research that has been initiated under this framework.
This said, as a research-intensive university, it is our hope that this framework allows us to resume as much of our research as is safe and practical to achieve.
Sincerely,
Malcolm Campbell
Vice-President (Research)