COVID-19 Update for September 2: What to expect for the fall term at NAIT
Posted: Sep 2, 2020 11:18 AM
NAIT embarks on another new school year as we welcome new and returning students to the fall term. While this year will look and feel a lot different than any other throughout our 58-year history, we remain steadfast in our vision and promises as we continue to deliver technology-based education rooted in experiential learning across all our programs.
As announced on July 6, we are taking a phased approach to reopening our campuses that prioritizes the health and safety of the NAIT community. We will continue to deliver education and services virtually, wherever possible. At the same time, we are offering in-person learning in shops and labs where necessary, and are re-opening select in-person services. Activity on our campuses will continue to be reduced as we attempt to lessen the risk of the transmission of COVID-19 following direction from the province.
Campus Life
The shift in delivery of our courses and programs will see a reduced number of people on campus. On average, we expect to see approximately 5,900 people on NAIT campuses per week for the fall term in 2020. This is down by 62% from fall 2019.
Most staff will continue working from home. Some instructors, educational technologists and limited staff members who are delivering on-campus services are attending campus for their scheduled activities.
We ask anyone coming to campus to go directly to your scheduled activity and leave immediately afterwards. Staff members who aren’t scheduled to work on campus are required to get permission from their supervisor before arriving.
As we prepare to welcome more people back to our campuses, all our decisions have prioritized the health and safety of the NAIT community. Several health and safety measures have been put in place to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission:
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We’ve enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols on all campuses, following provincial guidelines.
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We’ve moved furniture and set up guides, barriers and signage to help you navigate campus safely and to maintain 2 metres of physical distance.
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Safety plans have been created for shops, labs and service areas following NAIT and provincial health guidelines.
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Anyone attending NAIT campuses is expected to wear a mask in all indoor public spaces. Please review our mask policy on nait.ca/masks before coming to NAIT.
For more on what campus will look like this fall, read What students can expect at NAIT this fall in techlifetoday.ca.
Programming
More than half of degree, diploma and certificate programs and most apprenticeship courses will offer a blended format of virtual and in-person instruction. This will help ensure student safety and limit the spread of COVID-19, while delivering the same experiential education NAIT is known for.
Programming highlights at-a-glance:
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Forty-one percent of degree, diploma and certificate programs are entirely online. Fifty-nine percent of degree, diploma and certificate programs are blended, which means they will have both virtual delivery and some on-campus delivery. This equates to 34 total programs entirely online and 49 programs offered in a blended format.
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Twenty-seven of 28 apprenticeship programs will be delivered in a blended format for the 2020/21 year. One apprenticeship program (Parts Technician) is entirely online.
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The School of Skilled Trades has 10 diploma and certificate programs, all of which will be delivered in a blended format.
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Most continuing education programming will be delivered virtually, with 79% of the courses delivered online and 21% delivered on-campus.
Active Cases Dashboard
With the gradual reopening of NAIT campuses and as COVID-19 continues to circulate, we expect some members of our community will test positive for COVID-19. We are prepared to respond should there be cases of COVID-19 on one of our campuses. We are also committed to providing our community with timely and accurate information about active COVID-19 cases on our campuses via the COVID-19 Active Cases dashboard. The dashboard will be updated weekdays (except on holidays) by 4 p.m. MTN.
Coming to Campus
We’ve given a great deal of thought to your safety on campus, and have created several steps everyone must take before coming to any of our campuses.
What to do if you are sick
As COVID-19 continues to circulate in our community, and with the cold and flu season ahead, we anticipate some staff, students and visitors to our campuses will test positive for COVID-19 or will otherwise be sick.
Here are a few things you need to do if you’re feeling sick:
Please visit the If You are Sick page for further information, including information for supervisors or instructors.
NAIT services
As activity on our campuses is reduced to limit the risk of transmission of COVID-19, the majority of NAIT services continue to be offered virtually. Select in-person services are open, with changes to entry points, hours of operation and layout of spaces to help maintain 2 metres of physical distancing.
Please review the table on the Facilities & Services page for the current status of facilities and services.
Students are encouraged to visit the Student Services website to access the wide variety of tools available to them as they navigate the fall term.
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