IMPORTANT ADVISORY
Updated: June 15, 2020
As the worldwide response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the management team at the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts (VanArts) is monitoring the situation daily, and adhering to the advisories from the B.C. Provincial Health Officer. We are committed to doing our best to provide a safe environment for our students, faculty, and staff while continuing to deliver quality education to our students.
To this end, VanArts temporarily replaced our in-person instruction with online delivery, and is now implementing a blended delivery plan, as outlined below. The VanArts campus remains open to students and staff, and we expect daily operations to be minimally impacted.
Please note we have no reported cases of COVID-19 from any of our staff or students.
Preparing for In-Person Instruction
We’re recommending to all departments that in-person instruction should be weighted towards classes & programs where hands-on instruction cannot easily be reproduced online, and for students who are struggling to succeed and require further support.
This update describes the measures being implemented to prepare for in-person instruction and is divided into three sections: blended delivery, safety measures, and preparations on campus.
It’s essential that all safety measures be followed to make this as safe for each other as possible.
Blended Delivery
For the remainder of the current term, and most likely extending into the new term starting in September, classes will be conducted as blended delivery; this means instruction will be a mix of in-person and online delivery.
We expect the majority of classes to continue as online delivery for now, with a gradual increase of in-person delivery over time.
Blended delivery may include:
- Classes continuing with only online delivery
- Classes being conducted at the school with a limit on those able to attend in-person at one time (per social/physical distancing requirements)
- Classes being conducted with in-person delivery at the school and streamed for online delivery to students at home.
The type of delivery will vary by department, based on course structure and student need. Details regarding scheduling and structures will come to students from the head of their respective departments.
Safety Measures
Following WorkSafeBC’s guidelines on planning for COVID-19 preparedness, a review has been conducted of risks of exposure or transmission at the school and the protective measures that are being implemented.These protective measures fall into four levels:
- 1st level: Elimination
- 2nd level: Engineering Controls
- 3rd level: Administrative Controls
- 4th level: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
The full list of safety measures and policies may be found in myVanArts on the Policies and Procedure page.
A key section is included below:
Students and staff are to:
– Remain or go home if they have any symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, chills, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and new muscle aches or headache) or if they have been directed to stay home by Public Health or another government body
– wash/sanitize their hands on arrival to school and frequently thereafter
– maintain social/physical distance of 2m (6 feet) whenever possible
– refrain from shaking hands, hugging or other forms of physical contact
– follow all instructions on advisory posters and floor decals
– follow any stairway or hallway arrows that indicate one-way direction of traffic
– avoid congregating in any common areas
– wipe down their workstations and work areas before/after used or lent
– wipe down any shared equipment before/after use
– avoid sharing equipment where possible
– wash/sanitize their hands before/after using shared equipment
– leave the school when their work/classes are completed
Preparations on Campus
We are also making some changes at the school to prepare for students and staff to return in greater numbers. The following preparations are in place or will be implemented over the coming weeks:
- COVID-19 advisories, posters and floor decals throughout the school
- Washable face masks (with a VanArts logo!) for all students and staff
- Touchless hand sanitizer stations through the school
- Disinfectant wipes/spray in all classrooms and offices
- Webcams in all classrooms to support online delivery
VanArts remains committed to delivering the same high quality of education we’ve been giving for 25 years, and doing all we can to ensure your success. Our response to COVID-19 will evolve as we get more guidance from staff & students, the Provincial Health Officer, and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.
Information Links:
BC Centre for Disease Control
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19
BC Provincial Health Officer
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics
Any questions or concerns, please direct to administration@vanarts.com