Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
As we continue to prepare for a return to campus, I am writing to share several updates on how the University is supporting and planning for a safe transition to in-person instruction this fall.
A safe return to campus requires a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach and the University recently updated the 12 ways we are preparing for a safe return which include mandatory health screening, contact tracing using QR codes, and ongoing assessment of building ventilation and air filtration systems.
The University will continue to monitor the latest public health guidance and will adjust measures as needed as we approach our anticipated return in the fall. We are also expecting further guidance from the province in early August which will help us to tailor our plans at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy accordingly.
Vaccination requirements
As announced yesterday, the University will require students, faculty, staff and librarians who participate in activities that carry a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission to be vaccinated – and will require all community members to self-declare their vaccination status using the UCheck platform. Details on how to use UCheck, including how U of T is keeping data private, are available in the FAQs section of this UCheck webpage.
Our experiential education rotations are considered to be activities that carry a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission and vaccination will be required for students, faculty and staff involved in those activities, including any type of rotation centred in our building.
Many of our students, faculty and staff have played an instrumental role in supporting Ontario’s ongoing vaccination efforts. Our contribution to this effort is a source of deep pride for me and many others connected to our Faculty. If you have questions about vaccines or need details on how to get vaccinated, the University has provided information on vaccine safety and links to provincial and municipal appointment booking platforms.
Building and classroom ventilation
As part of the University’s COVID-19 HVAC strategy, all centralized heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system filters have been replaced with enhanced MERV 13 filters or the highest compatible with the existing HVAC infrastructure. This is the filtration level that the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) currently recommends for reopening buildings.
The central ventilation system at the Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building has a filtration level of MERV 13 or higher with 12 air handling units. The University’s Facilities & Services group manages the central ventilation system in our building and you can find the filtration level of central ventilation systems in buildings on the St. George campus on the Facilities & Services website.
In addition, you can also find information about the ventilation of assessed classrooms on all three campuses. As outlined by Facilities & Services, classroom environments at the University are being equipped for at least six equivalent air changes per hour—the same standard used in healthcare settings. Please see information on the assessed classrooms in our building below:
|
Building Name (Code) |
Room |
Available in Fall 2021 |
Air Change Rate |
Local Air Purifier Installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building |
B150 |
Yes |
10 |
No |
|
Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building |
B250 |
Yes |
10 |
No |
|
Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building |
255 |
Yes |
6 |
Yes |
|
Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building |
450 |
Yes |
6 |
Yes |
|
Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building |
850 |
Yes |
6 |
Yes |
*Air change rate means how many times the total air volume of the space has been exchanged for fresh air in an hour. If a room has an air change rate of six or above, no additional air purifier needed to be installed.
Specialized research and teaching labs
Our research labs are also held to rigorous ventilation standards given the nature of work conducted in these spaces and each lab has a minimum of six air changes per hour. We are in process of assessing air flow in our teaching lab spaces and will share additional details over the next few weeks.
Improving and upgrading ventilation systems where necessary is one of several key measures needed to support a safe return to campus and will continue to be complemented by other measures like enhanced cleaning, wearing non-medical face masks in designated areas, and high vaccination rates.
Continuing to evolve with science and public health regulations
It is refreshing to be looking ahead as we anticipate a return to campus where we can resume the many in-person connections and activities that drive our work and accomplishments. At the same time, we also know that our planning must continually be informed by up-to-date public health recommendations and open to adaptation as these regulations, and the science behind them, continues to evolve.
Please take the time to carefully read through the information provided in this email and should you have any questions about the planned return to in-person instruction, please direct them to:
- Lisa Dolovich for general questions
- Natalie Crown for questions related to the PharmD program and courses
- Kathy Vu for questions related to PharmD for Pharmacist program and courses
- Dave Dubins for questions related to PharmChem program and courses
- Carolyn Cummins for questions related to Graduate program and course
I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable long weekend. Please take time to recharge with family, friends and loved ones.
Sincerely,
Lisa Dolovich,
Porfessor & Dean
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto