Wondering what buildings are open on campus this semester? What about food? Do you need to wear a mask at Camosun now? Navigating the college campuses this September will be a new experience, and one that the college will be changing as needed as the weeks go on.
“We’re trying to give students as much of the great Camosun experience as we can give,” says Camosun vice president of student experience Heather Cummings, “recognizing we’re in this very strange environment right now.”
Read on to find some answers to questions you may have about college life this semester, and keep reading Nexusthrough the fall to stay updated on what the college is doing for students during the COVID-19 crisis.
Before you come to campus
Most classes are online, but if you need to come to campus, here’s what you need to know. Cummings says that students should only be on campus if they are attending an in-person class or have an appointment; even then, the student needs to complete the COVID-19 student health and safety screening and training on the Camosun website first. This is required even if students are only attending campus one time briefly to pick something up. She stresses that students shouldn’t come to campus to meet friends or use the college wi-fi to do school work at this point, and if you do need to be on campus to be sure to follow signage and physical-distancing and handwashing protocols. (The screening and training can be accessed at camosun.ca/covid19/covid-training-screening.html).
Students travelling to Canada to attend Camosun must submit their quarantine and self-isolation plans to the provincial and federal government, as well as to Camosun International. (Read more about this at nexusnewspaper.com/2020/08/27/camosun-prepares-to-welcome-back-international-students-for-september.)
It’s not mandatory to wear a mask to Camosun, but if you feel more comfortable wearing one, you are welcome to.
What’s open?
Cummings says some students have thought the college isn’t functioning normally, but in terms of most services, that’s not true. She says every college service is available, it’s just that they’ve moved online.
“We’re open,” says Cummings. “We are hearing from students who assume they can’t access services. That’s not true. Every single service… Even recreation—you can book an online training appointment.”
Most campus buildings will remain open, but students are asked to follow proper entry and exit protocols to ensure physical distancing, and once they get to their destination, they should wash their hands.
All food services run by Aramark on both campuses are closed—this includes all Lansdowne food services, and all Interurban food services except for the Helmut Huber Culinary Arts Centre, which is run by the Professional Cook training program (the Camosun Culinary Arts department has submitted a proposal to the college and expressed readiness to have the cafeteria open, and is waiting to hear back on the college’s decision).
The Athletic and Exercise therapy clinic at Interurban opened for in-person appointments in early August; protocols—including staggered appointments and therapists having to wear personal protective equipment—are in place to make it as safe as possible.
The Pacific Institute of Sport Excellence is currently open to Charger athletes. The Chargers’ fall season was cancelled in the summer, but Cummings says the student athletes are still keeping up with training—some on their own time, and some on site—because no decision has been made yet about the January season.
The Interurban library is closed, but the Lansdowne library is open for students to access its facilities and resources; this requires booking an appointment. The Lansdowne library’s computer lab is open for in-person use—there are 12 computers available to be booked for two-hour blocks. The library also has eight study tables available for booking.
Laptops and wi-fi device loans are also available through the library. Library books are being delivered by mail; textbooks can be reserved for 24-hour loans.
Research help is available at camosun.ca/services/library. The online chat service AskAway is available to students on the library services page. Students can also book an online appointment on the library services page, under the Ask a Librarian heading. The college’s “virtual library” (which contains thousands of eBooks, online journals, and streaming videos) is fully open.
Interurban Child Care Services is open; the Lansdowne Child Care Services is closed. The Writing Centres on both campuses have services available remotely, and the Centre for Accessible Learning is open on both campuses for in-person accommodated testing as needed, and has its other services available remotely.
Students wanting to activate their U-passes should, if they don’t already have a photo on file with Camosun, submit their own photo to library@camosun.ca with their name and student number attached, then request a BC Transit-issued validation sticker. After that, students can book a time to come and pick the ID up (bring valid government ID). (As a reminder, BC Transit is now requiring masks be worn on its buses.)
Student counselling services are open for remote sessions.
“They have been open and available this entire time, but what we’ve been doing over the summer is basically adding enhancements,” says Cummings. “Every service will have a video chat function, so students can get as close to a face-to-face appointment as we can do safely. Our goal from a service perspective is to stay out of the way, so that the students who have to come on campus, our faculty and staff partners who have to come on campus for the delivery of some curriculum, they can do so, and we’re not increasing the numbers of people on campus.”
The bookstores at both campuses are closed; students can order materials online and arrange for a time to pick them up. The computer labs at both campuses are closed; students can access the labs’ software remotely, however. Head here for more information.
See camosun.ca for further information on services not mentioned here.
The Camosun College Student Society is offering most of its services remotely this semester. See our story here.