Though the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, a clear signal that Âé¶čAV has more or less returned to normal is the recent ramp up of in-person events on its campuses.
âWe had OAP [after the exams], which is kind of an indication that things are really going back to normal,â says Liam Halford, Operations Administrator, Events, Security Services. The Open Air Pub is an outdoor gathering students hold traditionally at the start and end of term.
The University also welcomed Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Legault on April 29, hosted a week of Âé¶čAV Bicentennial activities the following week and has actively been preparing for the Spring Convocation ceremonies, which are scheduled over two and a half weeks this year.
Campus events keep many Facilities Management and Ancillary Services (FMAS) teams busy. But while in-person events suddenly stopped in March 2020, work at FMAS didnât. As nearly all in-person activities shut down at Âé¶čAV, FMAS teams were needed more than ever.
Security Services, for example, had to continue to patrol all buildings and be on the lookout for any safety issue such as a leak, a power outage or suspicious activity. âThe students and staff are our eyes and ears for a lot of things. In their absence, we had to be a lot more vigilant than we normally would be,â Halford says.
Next page (Part 2): Facing the unexpected
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