Approach for Research Recovery and Adaptation and COVID-19 Guideline for Reopening Research Spaces
To: Principals, Deans, Academic Directors & Chairs
From: Vivek Goel, Vice-President, Research & Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives
Lori Ferris, Associate Vice-President, Research Oversight and Compliance
Date: May 28, 2020
Re: Approach for Research Recovery and Adaptation and COVID-19 Guideline for Reopening Research Spaces
The University of Toronto is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of all of our community members and to the prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses, which includes current COVID-19 measures. We recognize that researchers want to begin or resume their research activities as soon as possible. However, not everyone will be able to return at the same time, and decisions will need to be made in accordance with a set of principles for priority setting. We appreciate how our academic community continues to adapt to new circumstances in these unprecedented times.
The Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation has released two documents to guide the recovery and adaptation of research:
The Approach for Research Recovery and Adaptation outlines the process and risk assessment considerations for gradual and controlled research recovery and adaption on- and off-campus.
The Guideline provides strategies and the University’s requirements for making research spaces ready for re-entry or increased occupancy.
These documents outline a phased approach for UTM, UTSC and academic divisions to restart suspended research activities. These documents are companions to the Principles for Research Recovery and Adaptation released last week, which articulates the overarching implementation principles for a phased resumption of University research activities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Academic divisions, UTM and UTSC, and their units must follow the Principles, processes and guidelines that are articulated in these documents. The Principles, Approach and Guideline documents should be utilized together with other documents from the School of Graduate Studies, Human Resources and Equity, Facilities and Services, University of Toronto Libraries, and Information Technology Services. These are linked on the Road Map website as they become available.
We ask that you circulate this memo widely within your units.