WLUFA Statement on Vaccinations and Return to Campus
The WLUFA Executive is encouraged by the Wilfrid Laurier University administration’s recent decision to require all students, faculty, librarians and staff to be fully vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine upon return to in-person activities on campus this fall. Vaccination against COVID-19 coupled with other mitigation strategies such as masking, social distancing, proper ventilation and other measures is the best way to ensure that we maintain a safe and healthy working and learning environment on campus.
Proof of vaccination, rather than attestation, should be required as verification to access campus. WLUFA acknowledges that in some cases there are legitimate exemptions for individuals based on medical reasons or the Ontario Human Rights Code. In such cases, WLUFA urges the University to provide a reasonable and appropriate accommodation plan as well as suitable alternative health and safety measures that ensure the well-being of all members of the Laurier community.
Since the information on the university’s health and safety protocols has significantly changed since faculty agreed to in-person teaching, WLUFA calls on the administration to stand by the Principles for return to work (2021-2022) and allow those who agreed to in-person teaching, but who now see reason to switch to remote course delivery, to do so.
In Solidarity,
The WLUFA Executive
For a PDF version of this statement please see below: