This past Tuesday, due to the rapidly evolving situation with the novel covid virus, Loyalist College made the prudent decision to suspend all non-essential services and began encouraging all students to move out of campus residence — not only for their own safety, but of all college peers and employees. The decision was noted as ‘not an easy one to make’ in a statement from the colleges President and CEO, Ann Marie Vaughan, but was based on the advice of local health care professionals who best understood the severity and implications of the COVID-19 situation. The decision also meant the cancellation of many upcoming Loyalist College events, including the Open House scheduled for the weekend of April 4, 2020.
“Fortunately,” said Vaughan, “we continue to have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 connected to the College. However, the threat of contracting the Novel Coronavirus unfortunately continues to grow along with confirmed and suspected cases in our region. Our first priority is to keep everyone safe by proactively mitigating its transmission and helping to ‘flatten the curve’ of its spread.”

However this was only the beginning of the announcements that would arrive to upend the student body. In a sudden follow-up the next day, an escalated announcement, requiring urgency, rather than merely encouragement, decreed all students would need to move out of residence immediately, vacating the campus Friday at 3 o’clock p.m.
”An outbreak in Residence would lead to mass quarantine,” amended Vaughan, “and could become a very grave situation. As of Wednesday, we still have as many as 500 students in residence. We are grateful to those students who quickly found alternative arrangements already, and to their families and friends who rallied together to help them move out. In addition,” she added, “approximately 40 students with extenuating circumstances have received approval to move out through the weekend, rather than by Friday.

While many in the community were initially upset with the decision, voicing their concerns on the College’s website, students in actual residence were quick to respond with positive comments. “Nearly 200 international students were homeless, all of a sudden, due to Corona,” said international Project Management student Pragadeeswaran Thinakaran, “but the college managed to find hotels for all of us until the issues are sorted out. This is thanks to all the student leaders, the President, and Residence staff who took the initiative seriously, and managed to take care of us!”

The recent announcement from Vaughan confirmed that close to 200 residents, most of who are international students with no friend or family homes to temporarily stay in, would be accommodated in local hotels at no cost until March 31, added that there will be College Resident Assistants within the hotels to provide direction and advice, as required. This, along with the ability to practice safe social distancing, was just not possible in the college residence which is configured for communal living and houses up to 12 students in some units.

“We could not keep students safe there.” Vaughan continued. ”We understand this is a very stressful time for all students, especially residents who have the additional responsibilities associated with moving out. We empathize, apologize for the inconvenience, and take comfort knowing that they will be safer in self-isolation, within homes of family and friends, as well as in rooms within different local hotels.”
“We care about our students and are here to support them,” concluded the President and CEO, “throughout this move and beyond. Thank you for your patience, perseverance and positive outlook during this trying time.”

If students or community citizens have any questions, they can contact marcom@loyalistcollege.com for additional assistance.

Story and photo by Jonathan Matthie.