COVID-19 Allard School of Law Community Updates

On April 30, 2021, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training released the COVID-19 Return to Campus Primer. This document provides high-level health and safety guidance to help post-secondary institutions prepare for a return to on-campus teaching, learning and research in September 2021. 

Based on the guidance outlined in the primer, the Allard Law Dean’s Office is working with our internal management teams and our partners at the central university level to develop the law school’s re-opening plans. Our top priority will be to develop plans for a safe return to in-person instructional activities, including course delivery and co-curricular programs with an academic component. 

The Province is currently drafting an updated version of its COVID-19 Go Forward Guidelines for BC’s post-secondary institutions, planned for release later in the summer. We will provide an update on the law school’s plans for a return to campus as more information becomes available and planning moves forward.

If you have been invited onto campus, there are three important requirements to note.

1. Physical UBC Card

For 1L students invited onto campus for the fall term, you MUST get a physical UBC card for building access. When you apply for your UBC card, you will see 2 options. Choose the one that indicates you are taking an in-person, or a hybrid model of teaching. Your access will be automatically provisioned on approved weeks for entry. Once you receive your card, further access issues on approved weeks can be checked with Allard Reception. The carding office is reporting a turn-around time of approximately one week for physical cards. Please participate in your classes remotely (do not come to Allard Hall on your approved weeks) until you have received your physical card for building access.

2. DAILY COMPLETION - Allard Self-Assessment Check-In (required on approved entry days, prior to entry):

We are all obligated to ensure the health and safety of our community. Please complete the Check-in survey (https://www.allard.ubc.ca/sa) on days you enter Allard Hall. This must be completed prior to each entry. Your responses will help us maintain the health and safety of the community, as well as ensure building occupancy remains at an acceptable level.

3. ONE-TIME COMPLETION - COVID-19 Student Safety

Training Course
You may have received notice about this course from UBC late last week. The purpose of the course is to provide students with the most up-to-date information to help you stay safe if you have been invited onto campus this fall. Through the Canvas course, you will learn what measures the university has put in place to help ensure your safety, what actions you will be required to take on campus, as well as learn what resources are available in person and online to support your physical and mental wellbeing. 1L students, if you will be at Allard Hall for in-person classes this fall, please complete the safety training course at your earliest opportunity. Upper year students: UBC will require you to complete the training course over the next short while, if you will be on campus to use campus facilities. We recommend that all students complete the course as soon as possible, so that you will be in compliance when you are invited back to Allard Hall and/or you need to make us of other campus facilities.
 
How to complete the Course 
This course takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.  

During your first week of classes, please follow these steps:

1. Go to https://canvas.ubc.ca/enroll/NJD8YF
2. Click “Enroll in Course”
3. Click “Go to the Course”

As you know, UBC has announced a measure which came into effect September 16 in which all students, faculty, staff and visitors are required to wear non-medical masks, when indoors on our campuses. Non-medical masks are now required in common indoor spaces, such as hallways, stairways, building entryways, washrooms, common areas in residences and other high-traffic areas.

For all our IL students and others invited back onto campus for instruction, please take note of these updated requirements. Please note that masks can be removed for instruction in classrooms, once you are seated and physically distanced from others inside the classroom. Masks can also be removed for eating and drinking, and for instruction as long as physical distance can be maintained. Students invited onsite to Allard this term as part of our hybrid teaching can pick one 1 non-reusable mask at the Reception desk, on days they are approved for entry. Classrooms used for instruction will also have a supply of non-medical masks during the term.

Our approved Allard Hall Safety Plans will be updated to incorporate this new directions. Signage in Allard Hall directs all members of our community to wear masks in common areas. If you had any questions or concerns, please get in touch with our Assistant Dean Students at adstudents@allard.ubc.ca. Further details can be found within the updated COVID-19 Campus Rules. All Covid-19 support and resources for UBC students can be found on the COVID-19 & UBC's response website. 

For those students coming onsite as part of our re-entry plans this term, a big thank you for ensuring you are completing the mandatory self-assessment check-in survey daily, prior to entry.