Beginning May 25, 2022, and running all summer, the Student Life team will offer weekly tours of the Fort Garry campus. The upper-year student tour guides will highlight key buildings, study spots and the office students will need to know about. Tours will last 75-90 minutes and will run on Wednesdays or Thursdays at 1:30 p.m., starting at room 225 University Centre.  For the complete schedule and to register for a tour, please visit Career Connect, events calendar. For more details, please do not hesitate to contact Student Life at studentlife@umanitoba.ca, call (204) 474-9093, or drop by 225 University Centre.

The University of Manitoba continues to keep your safety top of mind. Masks are mandatory and must be worn in all indoor spaces on all our campuses to protect the community against Covid-19. While KN95 masks are highly recommended, 3-ply medical masks (minimum ASTM Grade 2) are also acceptable. Tour attendees and tour guides will also maintain physical distancing and screen themselves for COVID-19. Details are available at umanitoba.ca/coronavirus/students.

Calling All Returning Students

If you are a returning student and are looking for an opportunity to volunteer this summer, the Student Life office has opportunities to be involved in the campus community, including Orientation volunteer positions and the New Student Peer Mentoring Program. These opportunities will offer students  a chance to build leadership skills by offering the student leadership workshop development series, as well as the opportunity to gain recognition for their work as leaders through the Emerging Leader Award.

While we are all encouraged by the easing of pandemic-related restrictions in our community, troubling events elsewhere in the world continue to occupy our minds. My thoughts are with our Ukrainian students and those with ties to Russia and Eastern Europe who have been affected by the invasion of Ukraine. UM has many student supports and I encourage you to reach out. We are here for you.

Those looking for avenues to show your support are encouraged to consider a donation to the Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian Crisis Appeal. Last week, the Federal government announced that it will match all eligible donations made between February 24 and March 18, 2022.

The Return to Campus

For those returning to in-person learning and studying, check out the return to campus website and the following information that you may find useful:

Masks

KN95 masks must be worn in all indoor spaces on UM campuses. The only exceptions are if you are alone in a room with the door closed, or eating in areas designated for food consumption. Masks are not required outdoors.

Several mask distribution tables will be located across campus. Say hi to the friendly staff members in blue shirts who, in addition to providing you with a KN95 mask, can offer you wayfinding advice and a campus map of study/computer lab locations that are open. Masks will be available at the tables Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. until March 11 at the locations on the covid-19 health and safety website. On that site you’ll also find a list of Libraries and other areas where you can pick up a mask, and the hours of operation for each.

If you are coming to campus and do not have a KN95 mask, you can wear your own cloth or 3-ply mask while you go immediately to the closest mask pick-up location. After the initial mask pick-up, it’s expected that you will have a supply of KN95 masks to wear, even when attending the distribution locations to access more masks.

Study spaces on campus

Study spaces are available to you on both the Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses. Detailed information can be found on this web page under “On-campus services”. The Libraries also have study spaces available. 

If you are looking for a place to eat on either the Fort Garry or Bannatyne campus, please visit the where to eat on campus web page.

Parking

If you are commuting to campus for the remainder of Winter Term, you can now purchase a monthly student parking permit for March and April at the same per-month price as a full student permit. The March monthly permit includes February 28, so you won’t need to worry about paying for parking on that additional day.

If you are only going to be on campus certain days of the week, you can also purchase a flexible student parking permit that is valid for select days. Please visit the parking website for details on how to purchase a permit.

Campus tours

If you haven’t been to campus yet, or you would just like a refresher, Student Life is offering campus tours every Wednesday in March featuring key buildings, study spots and offices. Visit the return to campus website for details and to register.

Outside of class time, I encourage you to participate in the “Where’s Billy?” scavenger hunt that begins on Monday morning (February 28) on Instagram. Find all nine Billy the Bison posters at various campus locations by March 11 for your chance to win great prizes from the Bookstore.

Student services and supports

Below is an update on the status of Student Affairs services and supports for the remainder of Winter Term:

Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Services

Financial Aid and Awards, the Registrar’s Office and Admissions offices will continue to offer services remotely for the remainder of Winter Term, with the following exceptions:

Students who request emergency pick-ups of Transcripts, Enrolment Verifications and other documents.

Student Support

Student Counselling, Student Accessibility Services, Student Advocacy and Case Management, Spiritual Care, Health and Wellness, the Sexual Violence Resource Centre, and Student Services at Bannatyne will continue to offer services and programming remotely, however:

In-person front office staffing and/or drop-in hours are available for students on campus who visit these offices. Please contact the offices directly to identify available times.
University Health Service (UHS) is open for virtual or in-person appointments in its temporary location in the trailer (ACW parking lot).

Student Engagement & Success

All programming and services will continue to be delivered remotely, including tutoring supports, and advising activities, however:

The First Year Centre and Career Services receptions are open for those students who are on campus.
The International Centre reception will be open in April.
Some Student Life programming (e.g., tours and programming for students engaged in in-person learning) will be taking place on campus.

Mental health

If you are feeling stress or anxiety, whether you are returning to campus or are continuing with remote learning, there are many student supports in place to help you and a range of self-care tips you can add to your toolkit. Regardless of your level of need there is support available. 

Attention Graduate Students

The UMGSA, in collaboration with campus partners, is offering two virtual workshops on March 8th as part of their new Mental Health Morning program:

• Resiliency & Hope: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• Climate Anxiety: 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Registration is required. 

Stay active

Be sure to take care of your physical and mental health during this time. Recreation Services offers in-person and virtual options to help you stay active and relieve stress.

Get involved!

Register to attend a session on March 3rd from 3-4 p.m. with Peer Helpers and campus experts to learn more about joining clubs, volunteering opportunities, recreation and more!

We are all Bisons!

Cheer on the Bisons later this month when the best in the country come to play. Visit gobisons.ca for details:

• Canada West Track and Field Championships March 18-19
• U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship March 25-27

Throughout the remainder of Winter Term I will share updates with you by email, but I encourage you to  continue visiting the COVID-19 website for up-to-date health and safety information, and follow @umstudent on Instagram.

Welcome back. I wish you all the best as you resume your Winter Term studies.

Take good care.

All UM students are welcome to participate in our Where’s Billy? scavenger hunt. Students will have the opportunity to find Billy in nine different locations on campus. 

Here’s your first clue: Billy will be hiding out at the entrance to the place you’ll need to go when you’re writing your first arts/humanities essay! HINT: EDL are important initials here.

Once you get there, be sure to look high, low, around and below.  Scan the QR code and see where the next clue takes you!

Kicking off on February 28, students will have until March 11, to find all nine Billy the Bisons.  Students who scan all of Billy’s QR codes will be entered to win UM Bookstore gift cards!   

In addition to our scavenger hunt, there are a number of resources available for students who may be feeling a little unsure about what studying on campus looks like. 

• Return to Campus info sessions
  • Available as a recording for now, new sessions will be offered in the coming weeks.

• Campus Tours
  • Campus tours will take place from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. throughout reading week. Sign up here!

• Virtual Advising Help Centre
  • Have specific questions? Having a hard time finding answers? The Student Navigators in the VAHC are available M-F until 7 pm and from 10-3 on Saturday and Sunday.   

Please make sure you check out detailed information, found on our Return to Campus webpage.  We’ll share updated info, sessions, and supports that are sure to help make the return to campus smooth and successful. 

Here’s what you need to know this fall about construction detours and potential delays, pedestrian access and occasional bus rerouting.

Overview

• Gillson Street closed with one-lane temporary access.
• Parking Lot N access restricted to N Lot permit holders.
• Travel affected on University Crescent from Sifton to Chancellor Matheson, including intersection.
• University Crescent closed to all traffic south of Dafoe Road to King’s Drive.
• Emergency access and building access maintained throughout.
• Detours can be expected.

Road closures will affect some parking lots and may cause turning or access restrictions on adjacent streets. All closures and interruptions will be communicated through UM Today and be listed on the UM Service Disruption Page.

Further details below.

Gillson St. closed; Parking Lot ‘N’ access restricted

Continues to Oct. 15

• Road closure at Dafoe Rd. traffic reduced to one lane.
• Essential traffic and emergency access only.
• Parking Lot ‘N’ access restricted to permit holders only.

Parts of University Crescent and Freedman Crescent closed, lane closures

Through fall.

• Closed between Dafoe Road and King’s Drive.
• Access to Freedman Crescent via Dafoe Road and MacLean Crescent.
• Intersection open (University Crescent and Dafoe Road).
• At least one pedestrian path maintained throughout construction.

City of Wpg work on University Crescent (one lane)

Until mid-November.

• University Crescent one lane, Sifton Road to Chancellor Matheson Road.
• Detours through construction can be expected.

Dafoe Road one lane (City of Wpg); some bus rerouting

Until mid-September.

• One lane access on Dafoe Road, Gillson Street to Service Street 7 with some bus rerouting.
• Sidewalk reconstruction (UM) on Dafoe Road; temporary sidewalk closures.
• At least one pedestrian path maintained at all times.

TIMELINES

Construction timelines are weather-dependent. Milestone dates are flexible and subject to change. For schedule updates during construction, visit the University of Manitoba’s Service Disruption Page.

2021 ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

See previous construction update for more information on the Fort Garry campus road renewal program.

Parking privileges are assigned virtually and verified using licence plate recognition software. Commuter, residence and flexible student permits are available for purchase month-to-month or for the 2021 Fall Term.

New flexible student permits available

Students have the option to purchase flexible permits that are valid only for a specific day of the week.

For example, if you only have Tuesday and Thursday classes you can purchase 2 permits—one valid for Tuesdays and one for Thursdays. These permits would be valid for all the Tuesdays and all the Thursdays for the month, or for the entire fall term, depending on which permit you decide to purchase. 

• A maximum of 4 licence plates may be linked to a commuter or flexible permit.
• Residence students may only have one plate linked to their permit at a time.
• It is the responsibility of the permit owner to ensure only one vehicle is parking using the permit at any given time. 

Where can you park with a flexible permit?

Vehicles must be parked within the numbered stall structure of the lot—no parking is allowed beyond or between rows, in drive aisles, on grass or centered on or between posts.

Commuter and flexible permit holders have access to the following student lots: Q, I, U, W and ACE.

Residence permit holders have access to one of the following residence student lots: D, F, L and St. John’s. Confirmation of residence student status will be required in order to apply for a student residence permit.

“Post-pandemic, we realize the importance of offering more flexibility in parking permits, since there is a strong likelihood that this fall many staff and faculty will be working sometimes on campus and sometimes at home,” notes Cameron Neufeld, director, parking and transportation services.

Staff who opt in for flexible parking will be offered a discounted rate through their Parkmobile accounts, allowing them to park in one of 4 areas on Fort Garry campus: Parking lots B, Q, U, and E.

Staff will pay through the app with a credit card each time they are on campus.

Currently this option is available on the Fort Garry campus only, with information to be made available soon regarding flexible parking options at Bannatyne Campus.

Rate structure and how to opt in

The pricing structure of $4.50 per day is intended to offer a discount for anyone working 15 days or less in a month. Staff who consistently work over 15 days can choose to use Parkmobile, or purchase a full monthly permit for $75.

Visit the Parking Portal Help Page for instructions on how to opt in for the flexible parking option.

Other parking options for permit holders

To continue to hold your own parking spot, Permit Hold option remains available for $10 per month for staff and faculty who wish to retain their parking allocation, but who do not require full-time parking access in the fall. 

If you do not wish to keep your permit active, by Aug. 27 you must either: 

• place a Parking Hold Request: http://umanitoba.ca/sites/default/files/2020-09/parking-hold.pdf; or 
• place a Cancellation Request: https://umanitoba.ca/parking/staff-parking/staff-parking-cancellation-form. 

See the previous story on parking options including Hold Permits for faculty and staff.