Laurentian University has announced that as of Sunday, all on-campus exams will be moved to a remote assessment delivery method.
This includes exams scheduled in the Ben Avery Gym as well as those on-campus in classrooms.
The decision was made “due to the presence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in other regions of Ontario, and out of an abundance of caution.”
“Students who were scheduled to write an on-campus exam on Dec 20 or 21 will be contacted directly by the class instructor who will provide details on the new delivery method for the final assessment,” said Laurentian president Robert Haché, in a Dec. 15 message to the university community,
He said if students have not heard from their instructor by noon on Friday, they are asked to contact their faculty dean for further guidance.
Staffing levels on campus are being reviewed and further reductions in on-campus services are expected as of Dec. 20.
“We are making this decision with the understanding that there will be many challenges as a result, however, the safety of our campus community is our top priority,” Haché said, in the written statement.
There has already been a low-risk exposure to COVID-19 associated with an exam session in Laurentian’s gymnasium.
As reported by Sudbury.com yesterday, classes for Laurentian’s winter semester will now begin on Jan. 17 instead of Jan. 10 (with a small number of exceptions).
Haché said the university has “yet to determine the delivery method of classes for the next semester.
“We will continue to consult with Public Health Sudbury and Districts and take guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health to make this decision and are committed to communicating the anticipated delivery method for classes by Jan. 10, 2022.”
