Mount Allison releases timeline for students outside of the Atlantic bubble
Students from outside of the Atlantic bubble returning to Mount Allison University for the fall semester will need to arrive a couple of weeks earlier than usual.
On Wednesday, the university laid out its timeline for students moving back to Sackville, N.B., from outside of the Atlantic provinces.
Students outside of the bubble have to move into residence on either August 14-15 to allow for enough time to self-isolate for 14 days before the rest of the students move in the first week of September.
Students staying on campus will have their meals delivered during the isolation period and will be able to move around the building with public health guidelines in place. There will also be an outdoor space designated for isolating students to get fresh air.
Jonathan Ferguson, the president of Mount Allison's student union, said he's pleased that there's a plan in place so students can start preparing, But he said he's concerned about the impacts the isolation period might have.
"We all know that a 14-day quarantine can be tough, especially for those who are leaving home after having gone back and visited over the summer, or leaving home for the first time," he said.
Ferguson said the student union is also concerned about students who will be living off-campus because they won't have the same support system as those living at the university during the isolation period.
"Food security is a big question for off-campus students in particular because we know that they're going to have to plan a lot of that on their own," Ferguson said.
Sackville Mayor John Higham said the town is working with the university to help the off-campus students.
Higham said the Tantramar COVID Task Force, a volunteer-led group that formed in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak to help the area's most vulnerable during the lockdown, will help off-campus students deal with the isolation period.
He said the town will have close contact with the university and Mount Allison's student union to make sure all students, on and off-campus, get what they need.
Jean-Paul Boudreau, Mount Allison's president, said the partnership between the university and the town will help students handle the transition back to school.
Boudreau said fewer students will be able to live on campus this year and more students will be living off-campus because of COVID-19 restrictions.
He said the student union will play a key role communicating with off-campus students during the transition.
A statement from the province to CBC News on Saturday said the province is working with the federal government and post-secondary institutions to ensure all necessary measures are in place to welcome international students in a safe manner.
