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KFA Fall 2021 Return to Campus Survey Results

Dear Kwantlen Faculty Association Members,

Thank you to the 403 members who completed the KFA Fall 2021 Return to Campus Survey. These are the top-line results:

  • 75% are somewhat to very uncomfortable returning to campus without mandatory vaccination of all students, employees, and faculty.
  • 73% of respondents are somewhat to very uncomfortable returning to campus without a mask mandate.
  • 77% somewhat to strongly support mandatory vaccination for students, employees, and faculty on campus at KPU.
  • 76% somewhat to strongly support a mask mandate for students, employees, and faculty on campus at KPU.
  • 28% of respondents have children under 12 in their household who cannot be vaccinated.
  • 45% of respondents have family members who are immunocompromised or otherwise at a higher risk of COVID-19 in their household.

The full results of the survey can be found in the attached document.

We will use the results of this survey to advocate for safe working conditions for all members during the fall return while being mindful of privacy legislation, human rights, the right to bodily integrity, collective agreement provisions, and the Union’s duty to represent all members.

Other Health and Safety Prevention Measures Prohibited

Looking at the recent action taken by the SFU Biology Department, we know many members are asking what additional measures can be implemented beyond the Communicable Disease Prevention Plan and the Return to Campus Guidelines. The simple answer is that the Return to Campus Guidelines prohibit faculty and institutions from implementing additional measures:

“All faculty and staff should follow institutional health and safety prevention measures which continue to the guided by public health, and not introduce other or different measures in their work or learning areas” (Guidelines 8, emphasis added)

“Post-secondary institutions should not introduce COVID-19 prevention measures that are different from those supported by public health professionals” (Guidelines 3, emphasis added).

We understand that the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training reiterated this position to post-secondary institutions on July 29. Because the province is preventing institutions from taking additional steps to provide safe workplaces, last week FPSE joined CUFA BC in calling on Minister Kang to “affirm the autonomy of BC’s public universities and colleges to continue to establish the health and safety rules governing safe campuses.” A copy of that letter is attached to this email.

We know that many members are thinking about the full fall return to campus office spaces, classrooms, hallways, and washrooms without safety measures such as masks and that you are asking questions about working safely in those conditions. KFA and FPSE representatives brought those questions to the May 10th meeting between the Public Health Officer and post-secondary administrators and union representatives. The answer to all of our questions was, essentially, that vaccination, hand washing, and enhanced surface cleaning were sufficient. You can watch that meeting here, and a KPU handout with the questions and hyperlinked time-stamped responses is attached to this email.

It is our view that the PHO and the Ministry of Advanced Education should not be preventing our Employer from working with the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OH&S) and Union representatives to establish campus-appropriate measures to ensure a safe working environment.

Questions and Resources

OH&S Summer FAQs are attached to this email; there you might find answers to your questions about the fall return. Administrators such as Deans and Associate Deans can also answer questions about fall working conditions, and your KFA representatives can provide support should you require it.

 

In solidarity,

Gillian Dearle

President, Kwantlen Faculty Association

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