Instructors are asked to remind students of the masking requirement at the beginning of each class (see details above). If there is non-compliance, it is recommended that you pause the lecture (or other activity) and give a general reminder to the whole class that proper mask wearing is required and, if non-compliance continues, you will stop the lecture (or other activity) and contact security.

Security would attend for two purposes - to identify the individual(s) refusing to comply and to ask the individual(s) to apply their mask. No one will be physically restrained or removed during this process. Note that Security will call police if an individual is acting violently, as is normal procedure.

Campus Security Services can be reached by calling 555 from any university phone, #555 from Bell MTS or Rogers Wireless, and 204-474-9341 from all other phones.

If a student remains non-compliant after being asked to either wear the required mask or leave class, you should inform your unit head. Non-compliance and disruption of a lecture (or other academic activity) may result in an investigation under the Student Discipline Bylaw, as outlined in the Student Non-Academic Misconduct and Concerning Behaviour Procedure, and could result in a disciplinary action being imposed, as deemed appropriate by the disciplinary authority.

You may wish to include statements on your course syllabus notifying students of the potential for a temporary pivot to online teaching, how they will be notified if a class is cancelled, and how students best self-declare medical absences for your course.

A sample COVID-19 syllabus insert is available for reference.

When offering students breaks during class, it is ideal to stagger these breaks so that not all students attend washroom facilities and other areas outside the classroom at the same time. This will help to limit overcrowding in smaller spaces.

Policies and procedures related to COVID‐19 are available at: umanitoba.ca/coronavirus

COVID-19 posters will be found posted in buildings and classrooms to communicate key messages such as hand hygiene, and how to screen for symptoms.

For classes where students must demonstrate skills or perform physical tasks and use supplied equipment, tools, or props, students should be encouraged to:

• First wash or sanitize hands prior to task
• Maintain physical distance during task, where possible
• Wash or sanitize hands when task is complete
• Students must bring their own personal pens/pencils, notebooks, etc.

Permission for university-related travel no longer requires Dean authorization as it relates to any COVID considerations. However, any pre-COVID permissions or processes remain in place. UM employees are advised to budget for unexpected delays in return-travel plans due to a possible positive COVID test. Any costs that result from testing positive for COVID-19 must be covered by the fund supporting the travel. Specifically, if travel is funded using an eligible grant, contract, or professional development fund, it would be prudent to ensure that sufficient funds are available to allow extra nights of food, lodging or other costs associated with changes to travel plans should such changes become necessary.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in various ways including the near-total elimination of travel. Pre-pandemic travel represented approximately seven per cent of UM’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. The University’s Office of Sustainability understands that the UM community has personal and professional interests across the globe but encourages a concerted effort by everyone to commit to reduced or alternative travel options as we move forward from the pandemic and transition to the UM carbon-neutral future of the university. UM actively supports the immediate need to take climate action.  As such we must be cognizant of how our business and travel decisions impact the university, our environment and the populations that live in the areas to which we travel.

Details on the funds provided by the Government of Canada through the tri-agencies, for tri-agency funded researchers who incurred pandemic-related expenses, are available from the individual agency websites. Each agency is administering their grant programs differently.

• Information regarding CIHR  
• Information regarding NSERC  
• Information regarding SSHRC 

Staff must be careful when sharing workspace and technology with others, such as family members and roommates. Ideally, you should have a separate workspace that other members of the household do not access. Log out of all systems when not in use, and clear your workspace of any paper documents when not in use. Paper files should be held securely as possible and safely filed when not being used. 

Phone conversations and video conference calls should be conducted privately, away from other members of your household, to maintain the privacy of sensitive information and the confidentiality of business information. Wearing headphones can also help ensure that those around you can’t overhear your conversation.  

When using software for online meetings, ensure that any workspace that is visible to meeting participants is clear of documents. If you are leading a meeting, and plan to share your screen, ensure you are logged out of all other systems and documents that are not required for the meeting to ensure you don’t share any additional information.

Where possible, information should be saved in the same place it was retrieved from. Electronic records should not be saved locally on a personally owned device, unless there is no other option for saving documents, including emailing them to yourself or supervisor for proper management. 

If you must store documents locally, you should maintain a log of the documents on your device and share regular updates with your supervisor. Any university records should be stored in a protected folder on your computer, and all documents should be password protected.   

You should ensure you also empty your recycle bin of deleted items daily. All documents must be transferred to university-maintained storage locations and systems at the earliest opportunity.

Paper records should be stored securely while offsite. Any destruction should wait until a return to campus. If you find yourself in an extraordinary situation regarding paper records, you may contact the Records Manager at fippa@umanitoba.ca for additional advice.

Receiving this form does not mean you are eligible and should claim all expenses incurred while working from home. You should consult with a tax advisor or accountant to assist you with determining your eligibility for claiming expense while working from home.

All non-consumables purchased or reimbursed using UM funds remain University property. Please consult with a tax advisor or accountant to assist you with the preparation of your personal tax return.