MacEwan University continues to make the safety of our students, staff and faculty our priority. We also appreciate the importance of providing our students with a quality campus experience. We believe that vaccination against COVID-19 is a critical part of ensuring our campus is safe for everyone. 

We are continuing to work through a measured, multi-phased approach to protect our community from COVID-19’s damaging effects, with the ultimate goal of having a fully vaccinated campus by the beginning of the Winter term. As of late August, 95 per cent of faculty and staff and 86 per cent of our students who responded to a voluntary survey indicated that they had received two doses of the vaccine. 

Later this week, we will share details about the next phase of our response, which includes a rapid-testing program. Vaccination declaration will be required using our Safe@MacEwan app (Apple Store or Android), and campus-wide testing will commence in early October. This phase will be in place for the remainder of the Fall term.   

Today MacEwan joined eight other Alberta post-secondary institutions in a joint statement announcing plans for mandatory vaccinations on our campuses. This announcement builds on our existing COVID-19 measures and strengthens the role that vaccinations will play on our campus moving forward. 

Beginning in the Winter 2022 term:

  • MacEwan students, staff, faculty and visitors will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend campus.

  • Negative test results will no longer be an avenue to gain access to campus, as the university’s rapid testing program will cease. Testing will only be available to those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical or protected grounds.

At MacEwan, we are committed to taking an approach that puts safety first, aligns with our student focus and meets the unique needs of our university community. The decision to implement mandatory vaccination has not been made lightly. We are providing as much advance notice as possible to allow individuals to prepare and make informed choices.

On-campus vaccination clinics are scheduled for September 14 and 17. Individuals can also book an appointment through the Alberta Health Services website, by calling 811, at doctor’s offices and at many pharmacies.

More detail on implementation, proof of vaccination and exemptions will be rolled out in the coming weeks. For the latest information about the university’s response to COVID-19, visit MacEwan.ca/Coronavirus.

On behalf of the university leadership team, I would like to express our appreciation for your ongoing cooperation, support and efforts to meet the challenges that COVID-19 presents. Working together, we can protect ourselves and our community.

Dr. Annette Trimbee
President and Vice-Chancellor

Originally circulated via GlobalMail on September 13