In-person campus events restricted until 2021; libraries opening up bookable study space

August 27, 2020

Events on Campus

McMaster continues to prioritize the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff. To help curb the spread of COVID-19, the University has restricted all in-person student, faculty, staff events and discretionary activities throughout the entire Fall term. These restrictions will now be in place until the end of the year. Virtual McMaster events are being encouraged wherever possible.

The second phase of the return to research plan does permit some meetings with external partners under specific conditions, and with approval. These meetings are expected to occur in Faculty or Department controlled spaces. Details can be found on the Research and Innovation website.

External requests for events and activities on campus should be directed to Conference Services for consideration in partnership with our Return to Work Campus Committee. The availability of space and adherence to campus safety protocols will limit the number and type of events being permitted.

All in-person Athletics & Recreation facilities and programs are closed for the Fall term. This includes all community sports activities and programs. Athletics & Recreation is offering free online fitness classes and programming, and the David Braley Sport Medicine & Rehabilitation Centre is open by appointment only, with all required health and safety measures in place.

Bookable Study Space

A limited number of bookable study spaces will be available to provide students with physically-distanced workspaces and dependable wi-fi – away from the noise and distractions of their living quarters.

The study space in Mills Library will be available Monday through Friday, from 1pm -5pm, starting Sept. 14. All visits must be booked in advance (no drop-ins are permitted).
Students must wear face masks, complete the COVID-19 Awareness Training in Mosaic in advance, and complete the provincial COVID-19 self-assessment tool one hour before coming to campus.

Additional information about how to book the space will be shared soon on the library website.

The Health Sciences Library will also open bookable space, beginning Sept. 8. Additional information about booking and safety requirements will be posted on the Health Sciences Library later this week. Contact hslib@mcmaster.ca for more information.

The Graduate Thesis Completion Study Space, located in Mills Learning Commons, is already available for use by McMaster graduate students through to Sept. 18. The space is intended for McMaster graduate students who have unreliable internet connections at home or are in challenging living situations that don’t support an effective writing environment. Graduate students wishing to use this space must apply for access. Students will then be able to use their Working@McMaster ID card, or a white security card to access the Learning Commons.

Masks Mandatory

Masks or face coverings are mandatory on campus for all indoor public spaces. Those who show up on campus without a mask can pick up one at the Campus Store Monday to Friday from 8:30am- 4:00pm. Go to the Campus Store service window, located inside the Campus Store entry vestibule, accessible through the exterior entrance on the south side of Gilmour Hall.

COVID-19 Mandatory Training

The university has implemented COVID-19 Awareness training to help the McMaster community understand how to prevent the spread of the virus and take action to minimize risk. This training is mandatory for all employees and students who need to be on campus.

Employees and students can register for training on Mosaic. The course can be found in the regulatory training section, following this path: Home>Regulatory Training>Search by course name>Leave search field blank>Search>View available sessions, and proceed with your registration until reaching Submit.

It takes one day from when you sign up to when the training is made available on Avenue to Learn, so leave enough time to complete training before coming to campus. A record of completion will be available in Mosaic one business day after training has been completed.

Supervisors are asked to ensure that employees who have been granted access to work on campus or those already working on campus complete this training as soon as possible.

For assistance registering for training and reviewing your training record, refer to the Health & Safety Training FAQs. All questions or concerns regarding the COVID-19 Awareness training should be directed to eohss@mcmaster.ca .