Winter Term Update

A message from Dr. David Malloy, King's President:

Thank you all for your dedication towards creating and maintaining an excellent academic and student experience as we comply with COVID-19 regulations in Ontario.  We have proven over the last 22 months that we can successfully work together through adversity toward a common good.  

King’s University College, along with Brescia and Huron, have made the decision for a more extensive return to on-campus learning and services as of Monday, January 31, 2022. Western University has a separate plan for the return to in-person learning, which has been communicated directly with their communities. 

For King's, this means that in-person classes will resume for students, including first year (except where courses are already noted as virtual for the term). We make this decision balancing the academic and health needs of our community. I know that you do not want to live in ambiguity and I hope that this plan will allow you to make decisions for the remainder of the winter term. 

We take this step consistent with guidelines from the Middlesex-London Health Unit and the province as we know them at this time. I hope that this announcement will give you time to prepare to return to campus. I would be remiss, though, not to note that this announcement, like all during the pandemic, is subject to change should we be directed by public health and government to do so.  

More information on campus operations will be distributed in the coming weeks. We will continue to update our hours of operation as necessary. Please visit the Library’s COVID-19 Updates page for more information on library operations. King's is reviewing capacity limits in non-classroom areas with the health unit and will post updates to the study spaces on campus when limits change. 

• Students will also be receiving information from their professors through OWL sites regarding course delivery. Our residences are open, and residence community members will receive information directly from King’s Residence. Our residence density and building mix (traditional and apartments) will allow us to bring back students with this plan. Our isolation strategies have been reviewed by the health unit. 
• Faculty will be receiving information from the Vice-President and Academic Dean. 
• Employees will receive direction from their departments on their return to working on campus or if they are to remain working from home.  

Vaccination and protocols 

We have proven that teaching, learning, researching and working at King’s is safe due to our exceptionally high vaccination rates and protocols. When you return, please complete the daily self-assessment. If you are symptomatic, please complete the required self-isolation as directed by the Ministry of Health. 

We have proven that teaching, learning, researching and working at King’s is safe due to our exceptionally high vaccination rates and protocols. When you return, please complete the daily self-assessment. If you are symptomatic, please complete the required self-isolation as directed by the Province of Ontario.

For members of the King’s community who have not yet done so, you can book your booster shot at Western’s vaccination clinic. While not currently required, I urge you to get your booster as soon as possible, as it has proven to be an effective added layer of protection. For more information, and to book an appointment, please visit Western's COVID-19 Vaccine Information page. 

Everyone on campus will continue to wear a non-medical three-layer mask at a minimum. We are slowly acquiring a supply of KN95 masks and some supply is available in Central Services for employees working consistently on campus. 

I will be forever impressed and grateful for how our community has gone above and beyond to ensure that the individuals studying and working in this institution flourish despite the odds. I am hopeful that we are approaching a finish line with COVID and the move to a post-pandemic world will be a function of our unity and concern for each other – the hallmarks of our culture at King’s.