University of Calgary directive summarizes expectations for vaccinations on campus

Purpose, scope and review

This directive summarizes requirements intended to protect the health and safety of all members of the University of Calgary community, to preserve workforce capacity, and to enable teaching, learning, research, and other activities to be in-person to the greatest extent possible. This directive is intended to formalize communications that have occurred over the last several months related to expectations related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination.  

This directive applies to:

1. all employees of the University of Calgary, regardless of their work location
2. all students of the University of Calgary
3. all volunteers, contracted service providers and suppliers, tenants, visitors, and guests who attend University facilities.

This directive will be reviewed regularly, at least every six months, to ensure the measures remain appropriate and to ensure compliance with public health measures and regulations. Any person to whom this directive applies should review dedicated web pages where procedural and administrative information will be regularly updated.

Vaccination attestation and rapid testing requirements (as of Sept. 14, 2021)

Effective Sept. 14, 2021, all employees and students of the university must complete the Vaccine Attestation Form through the COVIDSafe Campus web platform (My Thrive Health). Those who are present in university facilities between Sept. 14 and Dec. 31, 2021, must either be fully vaccinated or register for the University’s Rapid Testing Program and complete and upload rapid test results through the Thrive Health app twice each week, or as otherwise updated by the program from time to time.

All other individuals who are present in university facilities from Sept. 14 to Dec. 31, 2021, must:

1. be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination; or
2. provide in advance proof of a negative Health Canada approved rapid antigen, rapid PCR or lab-based PCR test completed within the previous 72 hours from attending university facilities, at their own expense.

Proof of vaccination requirements (as of Oct. 4, 2021)

Commencing Oct. 4, all employees and students of the university who have declared they are fully vaccinated must provide proof of vaccination to the university through the COVIDSafe Campus web platform (My Thrive Health). Such proof must be provided as soon as reasonably possible, and no later than Nov. 1, 2021. 

Vaccination requirements (effective Jan. 1, 2022)

Effective Jan. 1, 2022, all employees, regardless of their work location, must be fully vaccinated and have provided proof of vaccination to the university through the COVIDSafe Campus web platform (My Thrive Health). This includes but is not limited to, all employees that have previously declared they are not fully vaccinated, have indicated they prefer not to disclose their vaccination status, and/or have indicated they are not working on campus. Such declaration and proof of vaccination must be provided as soon as reasonably possible, and no later than Dec. 18, 2021. 

Effective Jan. 1, 2022, all students must be fully vaccinated and have provided proof of vaccination to the university through the COVIDSafe Campus web platform (My Thrive Health) in order to register for in-person classes. For clarity, any student who is not fully vaccinated and has not provided proof of vaccination may continue to take online classes that are available. The university will not necessarily have on offer classes of their choice online, and will take no responsibility for delays in graduation that result from being unable to take classes of their choice. 

Effective Jan. 1, 2022, all volunteers, contracted service providers and suppliers, tenants, visitors, and guests who attend university facilities must be fully vaccinated and upon request provide proof of vaccination.

Accommodation

Any employee or student who cannot comply with the requirements of this directive on the basis of a ground protected by the Alberta Human Rights Act, may apply for an accommodation in accordance with the university’s Workplace Accommodation Policy or the university’s Student Accommodation Policy, as applicable. Applications with supporting documentation must be made as soon as reasonably possible, and no later than Nov. 8, 2021.

Submitting fraudulent information

Any individual who submits fraudulent proof of vaccination, fraudulent documentation supporting an accommodation, a fraudulent COVID-19 test result or any other fraudulent or misleading information regarding any issue arising under this directive will be prohibited from accessing university facilities, and: 

1. in the case of a student, be subject to discipline pursuant to the Student Non-Academic Misconduct Policy (in addition to any other discipline they may be subject to if they are also an employee of the university)
2. in the case of an employee, be subject to discipline pursuant to their applicable collective or employment agreement and policies
3. in the case of any other party to whom this directive applies, be trespassed from the university on such conditions and/or for such duration as determined by the university, and otherwise subject to having their contractual or other arrangements and privileges at the university modified, suspended or terminated.               

Non-compliance 

Any individual who fails to comply with the requirements in this directive is prohibited from attending any university facilities, and in the case they do attend may be trespassed from the university in accordance with the Alberta Trespass to Premises Act, on such conditions and for such duration as determined by the university.

Any employee who fails to comply with the requirements in this directive may be placed on a nondisciplinary leave of absence without pay. Where appropriate, the employee may also be subject to discipline pursuant to their applicable collective or employment agreement and policies, up to and including termination of employment.

Any student who fails to comply with the requirements in this directive will be deemed ineligible to register for in-person courses and thus will be de-registered from in-person courses prior to the add-drop deadline each term. A student may register for online courses but will be prohibited from attending the campus. 

Privacy

Vaccination information, including but not limited to proof of vaccination, vaccination status, requests for accommodation, and results of rapid testing, is collected, used, and stored in accordance with the university’s obligations pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Alberta) and will only be used and disclosed in accordance with that legislation, including but not limited for the purposes of the university (including its administrators and managers with a need to know) determining and addressing whether there has been a breach or satisfaction of this directive, whether an individual is permitted to attend university facilities as set out herein, and to address health and safety concerns on university facilities including whether additional or different safety protocols are necessary in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak or otherwise. 

Definitions

1. “Fully vaccinated” means a status that an individual achieves 14 days after they have received the recommended number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization, and requires the individual to maintain the recommended number and type of vaccine doses as updated and required by Health Canada thereafter.
2. “Proof of vaccination” means a record of an individual’s COVID-19 vaccinations in a form acceptable to the university, as determined and communicated by the university from time to time. This information as to suitable format and content will normally be available on the university’s COVIDSafe Campus website. 
3. “University facilities” means all university campuses, university-owned, operated, or leased spaces, and field stations, including but not limited to: offices, student residences, classrooms, labs, libraries and study areas, recreational and sport facilities, and fields, dining halls and eateries, buildings, research lands/stations, loading areas, and university vehicles.