Campus Conversation: Back to Campus Fall 2021

On the Campus Conversation held on Thursday, June 10, the focus was on Fall 2021 and AUC’s efforts around a full face-to-face instruction model that’s set to take place, discussing the required COVID vaccinations for all students, faculty and staff who will access our campuses and University housing.  

Below are the session’s key takeaways:

• Fall 2021 will follow a full face-to-face instruction model for all undergraduate and graduate classes. Social distancing precautions and face masks will still be required along with proof of vaccination.
• Very few classrooms are currently being prepared for dual-mode delivery for sections with high enrollment (30+ students) to ensure social distancing. Dual-mode delivery entails half of the students being inside the classroom and the other half outside the classroom but still on campus and attending the class online. There are also attempts to divide these sections into two or move them to Tuesdays and Saturdays where there’s the availability of large classrooms.
• Student residents will be required to provide proof of vaccination to access the University residences. Students with medical issues may request an exemption request presented with a medical report by their physician to the AUC Clinic to receive final confirmation for their exemption. The same applies to athletic facilities.
• This week, AUC will announce a second round of AUC-allocated vaccination slots in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Students, faculty and staff and their dependents may register, but they must register on the online government website first.
• AUC will publish a tool where community members can submit their proof of vaccination or request an exemption to be able to access the campus.
• Individuals who have received their first doses of vaccination only will be permitted to access campus, but they will need to take the second dose at the soonest.
• Any type of vaccination taken anywhere in the world will be approved by the AUC Clinic as long as proof of vaccination is presented.
• There will be accommodations for individuals with medical exemptions or who have other reasons to not get vaccinated, and the tool will cater to those exceptions in collaboration with the AUC Clinic, which will approve or deny exemption requests.
• The remote work policy will continue to be enforced, entailing that staff members whose jobs can be done from off-campus can work remotely for a maximum of two days per week. The policy will continue to be updated.
• The remote work policy will not be applicable for faculty members during Fall 2021. Faculty members must be physically present on campus, but they can apply for vaccination requests that enable them to access campus without necessarily taking the vaccination.
• AUC is working on a registration website where graduates who are owed commencements will register to confirm their attendance to a commencement that will be held outdoors with all the necessary precautions during Fall 2021. However, the process hasn’t been finalized yet.
• Stay informed throughout the summer. Email will be an important channel of communication, and all information will be reflected on the coronavirus website. A special section for returning to campus with  frequently asked questions will also be launched soon.