McMaster Divinity College will reopen for faculty and staff to return to work on August 17, 2020. The MDC building will remain closed until September 8, 2020, at which time we will reopen to students to study as their term begins online.
All students, faculty, staff, and guests entering our building should review the following guidelines as we reopen our building safely.
COVID-19 GUIDELINES FOR BUILDING USE
Last revised: October 1, 2020
The MDC COVID-19 Response team meets weekly to discuss any recommendations released from the Ministry of Health in order to enact and maintain policies for MDC that meet or exceed these recommendations. Our desire is to make the building as safe as possible for Faculty, Staff and student use. Custodial staff have special directives to clean the building extensively each day, with washrooms and common surfaces like doorknobs being cleaned at least twice a day or more often as necessary.
ENTERING THE BUILDING
Each person entering the building is to self-identify if they have any symptoms that would prevent them from entering, those experiencing even mild symptoms are asked to stay home.
Signage posted throughout the building clearly communicates our requirement to self-identify and not enter the building if they, or someone they have been in close physical contact with, have travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days, have been referred for testing or advised to self-isolate, are awaiting test results, have tested positive for COVID-19, believe they could have been exposed to someone with COVID-like symptoms, or is experiencing any of the following symptoms: cough, difficulty breathing, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, or runny nose. When entering the building please adhere to the following guidelines:
- Enter at the main entrance only. All other doors are exit only.
- Each person entering the building should sign-in and declare that they have read and comply with the posted requirements for entry.
- Hand sanitizer is available at the main entrance for use when entering the building
- In keeping with municipal bylaws, face masks must be worn at all times in the public areas of the building. Complimentary disposable masks are available at the main entrance.
WHILE IN THE BUILDING
Hand sanitizer is located throughout the building for your regular use in addition to hand washing.
Washrooms are restricted to single occupancy to facilitate social distancing when entering and exiting. Kindly knock before entering and wait outside in the designated spot until the washroom is available. Each floor has two sets of washrooms at either end of the hall.
Please be aware of and obey all posted signage throughout the building:
- Maintain 2m social distancing from others where possible while in the building
- When walking in the hallways, please keep to the right to maintain social distancing
- Staircases are ONE WAY and are clearly marked. To go UP, please use either the staircase in Cullen Hall or the hallway from the Archives. All other staircases are DOWN only
- Where possible, doors will be propped open to reduce the use of common surfaces
GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS
In addition to the General Guidelines for Building use, the following additional information relates to student use of the building and facilities.
BUILDING HOURS
- MDC will reopen to the public on September 8, 2020. Hours of operation will be Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm. Students are asked to only use the building during these hours.
LIVESTREAM SESSIONS
- The MDC building will be closed to the public from October 19 to November 7 for our livestream (previously hybrid) sessions to allow all staff, faculty, and required GA’s to utilize the livestream equipment in the building
- A maximum of 10 visitors at any one time will be allowed to enter, by appointment only
- Students wishing to book study space within these dates should contact Melanie McGlynn at mcglynnm@mcmaster.ca with adequate notice of their preferred days to ensure availability. We will work to ensure all students requiring access to complete their coursework are able to do so.
WASHROOMS
- Washrooms are restricted to single occupancy, please knock prior to entering. Each floor has two sets of washrooms at either end of the hall. Besides MDC, public washrooms are located across the street in Wilson Hall or in the McMaster University Student Centre.
STUDENT KITCHEN
- The student kitchen is closed for use, but the fridge remains accessible. Microwaves and casual seating will be available in Cullen Hall for student use.
STUDENT STUDY SPACE
- Student Study Rooms will reopen on September 8, 2020. The following rooms are available for students to use during business hours only (8:30am- 6:00pm). Please note, during our hybrid in-class sessions, the use of these rooms may be restricted in order to manage our maximum building capacity. A workspace may be reserved for the day on a first come, first serve basis. All belongings must be removed daily after use.
Study Room 151 Max capacity: 11
Study Room 150 Max capacity: 13
McNally Reading Room Max capacity: 8
Please do not reshelve books after use. A book cart is available in McNally so books can be disinfected and returned to the shelf.
GA OFFICE
- The GA Office reopens August 17, 2020. Masks should be worn at all times as social distancing cannot be guaranteed. For those who have requested a designated workspace, a desk in the GA office will be assigned. Schedules will be taken into account to promote social distancing when assigning workspace. Additionally, room 144 will be set aside for ad hoc GA sign ups, with a maximum capacity of 8. Unless a desk is assigned for the semester, please do not leave any personal belongings behind after each day.
BOOKSTORE
- The bookstore will be open for in-person shopping by appointment only, starting September 8, 2020. Textbooks can be ordered ahead of time with free delivery by contacting Bernice at books@readon.ca.
ADDITIONAL CLEANING AND SANITIZING
- Custodial staff are cleaning the entire building extensively each day. For additional peace of mind, students may clean their own workspace prior to use, using cleaning supplies provided in common areas (study rooms, GA office, etc.).
MCMASTER UNIVERSITY
Because we are located within a wider university campus, MDC students, staff, and faculty are reminded to limit visits and exercise caution when visiting other areas of campus and being vigilant in sanitizing and safety practices when returning to the MDC building or their own homes. To monitor the cases on the MMU campus, visit the McMaster University website here.