Frequently Asked Questions (OLD)

Toronto » Frequently Asked Questions (OLD)

You will find Frequently Asked Questions below that pertain specifically to Northeastern University’s Toronto campus. We also highly encourage you to visit the University’s website on reopening and a safe return to campus.

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  1. Are masks required on all of Northeastern’s global campuses?

  • Yes. All students, faculty, and staff across Northeastern’s global campuses will follow the Northeastern face covering protocol. Northeastern requires all employees, students, vendors, and visitors to wear face coverings or face masks while they are in common spaces, including outdoor spaces on campus, and in common gathering areas, shared workspaces, shared academic spaces, or when interacting face to face with others.

  1. Are daily health screenings be required on all of Northeastern’s global campuses?

  • Yes. All Northeastern students, faculty, and staff are required to complete a Daily Wellness Check before coming to campus.

  1. Does Northeastern have recommendations for students before they travel to our global campuses?

  • In the interest of protecting the health of our campus community at the start of the fall term, we recommend that you minimize contact with others for 14 days before travel and that you get a test 72 hours or less prior to your arrival on campus, if you are able. Please do not travel to campus if you test positive or if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.

  1. Does Northeastern require and provide COVID-19 testing at all of its global campuses?

  • Testing is required and provided only on the Boston campus. At our other global locations, other safety precautions will be in place, including daily health assessments, entry screening, face covering protocols, healthy distancing protocols, and daily temperature checks. Each campus location has also identified a list of local testing providers and will provide resources if any student or staff member is in need of a COVID-19 test.

  1. How are classes offered?

  • All Northeastern locations have adopted an advanced, highly flexible learning model called Hybrid NUflex. From week to week, Hybrid Nuflex allows some students to attend classes in-person while others join remotely via Zoom or Teams. To manage classroom density, some students will be in the classroom while others are learning remotely, in real time.Using a dynamic scheduling app available on Northeastern’s Student Hub, students can indicate for faculty in advance their preferred mode of attendance during a given week. The classroom experience will be immersive, enhanced through video and chat tools that allow people inside and outside the classroom to see each other and enjoy lively two-way exchanges.Faculty will decide how to best deliver their individual courses through Hybrid NUflex. Hybrid NUflex allows students to begin the term remotely and then come to campus or to begin in person and later transition to remote learning, meeting international student requirements.

  1. Do students across the global campuses have access to the new Student Hub platform?

  • All Northeastern students will have access to the Student Hub, a new, highly personalized and experience-driven platform designed to help students navigate and keep track of their busy and daily lives as university students.

  1. Are hand sanitizer stations and disinfecting wipes available on Northeastern’s campus locations?

  • Yes. Northeastern will provide hand sanitizer stations and disinfecting wipes at all of its campus locations, focusing especially on classrooms, the entrances to our campus spaces, and in common areas.

  1. Has elevator capacity been limited on Northeastern’s campus locations?

  • Yes. Elevator occupancy is being limited to two to four people, based on guidelines of the National Elevator Institute Inc., a national trade association for the elevator and escalator industry.

  1. Have cleaning and sanitization procedures be enhanced on all of the global network campuses?

  • Yes. Each campus will follow Northeastern’s cleaning and sanitizing protocol, using EPA approved disinfectants and cleaning high-touch surfaces more frequently.

  1. How does Northeastern evaluate and maintain air quality in leased campus spaces?

  • The Northeastern Facilities team has analyzed the air quality and HVAC systems in each of its campus locations, following recommendations and best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as other professional and trade organizations. Northeastern will use additional air filtration units in any buildings that don’t meet our standards for air quality.

  1. How have we prepared our buildings for the return of our faculty, students, and staff?

  • The operations staff in each campus location are working closely with the Campus Planning and Facilities teams in Boston to prepare our campus spaces for the return of faculty, students, and staff. This includes installing new signage to promote healthy distancing, reconfiguring classrooms and common areas to reduce density and encourage six-foot distancing, and installing hand sanitizer stations throughout campus. For leased properties, Northeastern will verify that the property manager has prepared the buildings’ common spaces in accordance with state and provincial guidelines and university standards.

  1. What happens if someone has tested positive and has been on campus? Will classmates or staff be notified?

  • In our global network locations, public health authorities will conduct the contact tracing to notify close contacts of anyone who tests positive. It is very important—and in fact legally required by HIPAA and the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and PIPEDA in Canada—for Northeastern to protect the privacy of each one of our fellow Northeastern community members. To protect the person’s privacy and comply with legal requirements, our case management team and the state public health authorities cannot share the identity of anyone who tests positive for COVID-19. Staff and students will be notified only if they are a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19, and the identity of the person will not be shared.

The Toronto Campus

  1. How will Northeastern community members in Toronto get the COVID-19 vaccine?

  • In Toronto, vaccines will be distributed through mass immunization clinics to individuals aged 18 and over as of May 18, 2021. Visit covid-19.ontario.ca to book your appointment or call 1-833-943-3900. 
  • If you reside outside of Greater Toronto Area, we recommend that you visit your local public health department’s website and Vaccines for COVID-19 – Canada.ca  to find the most up-to-date information.

  1. Who’s currently eligible? 

  1. What are the steps Northeastern community members can take to get ready for the COVID-19 vaccine? 

  1. Where can I learn more about booking my second dose appointment?

  • Visit COVID-19 vaccines: getting your second dose to learn when and where you will be eligible to book an appointment. 
  • Appointments for accelerated second doses must be at least:
    • 8 weeks after your first dose of AstraZeneca with informed consent
    • 28 days after your first dose of Moderna or Pfizer

  1. Are people still required to continue COVID-19 testing, wear masks, and practice healthy distancing even after receiving the vaccine? 

  • Yes. At each Northeastern campus, people are still required to wear masks and follow distancing requirements anywhere that city, state, federal, provincial law, or individual businesses require it. Under the Reopening Ontario Act, Ontario still requires everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, to wear masks and practice physical distancing.

  1. What documents do I need to bring when I get vaccinated?

  • Once you book your appointment, you’ll receive an email confirmation with the location of the vaccine site and a booking QR code. If you have an Ontario Health card, you’ll be required to bring it with you at your appointment.
  • If you are an international student, you’ll be able to book your vaccine without an Ontario Health card. We recommend you to bring a photo ID such as a passport and your student permit as proof of identity. 

  1. What other precautions should be taken before vaccination?

  • If you feel unwell the day of your vaccine appointment, it’s recommended that you re-book your appointment.
  • Upon arrival to the vaccination site, please be sure to bring your booking confirmation, health card, and other proof of identity, if you’re an international student. You’ll be asked by a nurse of your current medical condition including any allergies prior to receiving your first dose.

  1. What do I need to pay attention to after the vaccination?

  • Be sure to stay at the clinic for at least 15 minutes after the vaccination so medical professionals can monitor for adverse reactions
  • You have the option to choose a printed or email copy of proof of vaccine

  1. What are the possible side effects of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

  • Common side effects include:
    • redness, pain, itching or swelling at the injection site
    • fever
    • headache
    • feeling tired
    • muscle aches
    • joint pain
    • chills
    • nausea and/or vomiting
  • If you have a serious reaction to the vaccine, or the reaction does not go away after 3 days, inform your health care provider.

  1. What should a student, faculty, or staff member at the Toronto campus do if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19?

  • If you believe you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, we ask that you please complete your daily health assessment, stay home and do not come to campus. If you are a student, a Northeastern case manager will follow up with you to connect you to university resources and to help you connect to the care you need. Please  visit the Toronto Public Health guidance on what to do if you have symptoms of COVID-19.

  1. What are the building hours at the Toronto campus?

  • Regular campus hours of operation are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. 
  • As part of the lockdown measure implemented by the province of Ontario，post-secondary institutions in Toronto are currently authorized to deliver virtual instruction only. As a result, the Toronto campus is currently open just for virtual instruction. Staff and faculty will continue to work remotely and will be fully available to support students. At the moment, it is not clear when on-ground instruction will be able to resume in Toronto, but we look forward to seeing students back on campus as soon as this becomes possible. We will keep you informed as we receive additional information.

  1. What is the visitor policy on the Toronto campus?

  • At this time, all visitors to Northeastern University, in advance of their visit, must be determined to be essential to the university’s mission in order to be approved to visit a Northeastern campus. Approval for any visitors to the university not deemed essential is at the discretion of the appropriate senior vice president. For more details on the policy and visitors that are deemed essential, please see the Visitor Protocol.

  1. What is the event policy on the Toronto campus?

  • Events will follow Massachusetts state guidelines for gatherings. Indoor gatherings should not exceed 25 people in a single enclosed, indoor space. Our global network locations in North America will follow these guidelines as well, unless the local or state or provincial guidelines are more restrictive. All in-person event requests will be reviewed by an events committee and must contain a compelling statement of why the event must be held in person and cannot be done virtually. For more details on scheduling and approving an event, please see the Event Policy.

  1. Is eating allowed on campus?

  • In accordance with the university policy on locations for safe eating and drinking on campus, eating is not allowed in classrooms or hallways.
  • At this time, food on campus is not permitted. Beverages are permitted. There are several food courts conveniently available for use in the building, specifically the 2nd floor indoor and outdoor food court areas.

  1. Are there specific quarantine guidelines students should follow when traveling to the Toronto campus?

  • Starting February 22, 2021, in addition to the current pre-arrival testing and 14-day quarantine arrangements, air travellers are required to reserve and complete a three-night stay in a government-authorized hotel in addition to the 14-day quarantine. Please consult the FAQ for COVID-19 for students in Canada page for full information. 

  1. Are there specific entry protocols that students, faculty, and staff will follow at the Toronto campus?

  • Students need to complete the  attestation form before joining the on-campus courses.
  • Students, staff and faculty are required to complete the Daily Wellness Check before their arrival on campus and to show the results of their wellness check on entry (students should also complete the ArriveCan wellness screening on a daily basis). Masks or face covering should always be worn, and your Northeastern ID displayed on a lanyard.  Contactless temperature checks will be conducted by authorized staff as you enter the campus.
    • Maintain healthy distancing (at least 2 meters at all times)
    • Wear a face covering as required by Toronto bylaw. Make sure it meets the standards of the Northeastern face covering protocol.
    • Display your Northeastern ID
    • Wash your hands regularly
    • Adhere to occupancy limits and posted signage

  1. Arriving First Canadian Place (FCP)

  • When queuing for the elevator, please follow the physical distancing prompts via floor markers and/or posted signage.
  • The maximum capacity per elevator cab is four people.
  • Aim to choose a corner spot to keep physical distancing between you and your neighbour.
  • Upon exiting the 46th floor, be sure to exit the elevator single-file.
  • There are various physical distancing markers throughout FCP to assist you in navigating the new traffic flow. Keep an eye out for directional signage and markers that will point you in the right direction.

  1. Are there specific cleaning protocols students, staff, and faculty will need to follow?

  • A “Clean In & Clean Out” policy will be implemented for study and class areas. There will be sanitizing wipes available throughout campus. Between classes, a dedicated cleaning crew will cover high touch areas such as tables and chairs.

  1. How can I get my Northeastern student ID (Husky Card)?

  • Given the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario are currently under lockdown measures, campus staff is working remotely, and printing student cards are on hold. 
  • Once the campus is permitted to re-open safely, a communication will be sent to new students with instructions on requesting your student card.

  1. How can I request proof that I’m a Northeastern student if printing of Husky Cards are on hold?

  • You can request a Student Enrollment and Degree Verification, which will be sent to your student email account. When you click on the above link, navigate to the “Current Students” section and click on the “Request Verification” form. 
  • You will first need to set up your myNortheastern account in order to access the form. If you haven’t set up your myNortheastern account yet, please click here for instructions on how to get started.

Additional FAQ’s specific to studying in Canada and quarantine requirements can be found on the Office of Global Services website.

Last Updated: June 17, 2021