The University of Guelph is capping the number of students living in residence this September at 1,000, down from the usual 5,000.
It says 700 of those will be undergraduates in residences on-campus and 300 students in family housing.
"Only students with special housing accommodation circumstances will be eligible to live on campus fall semester," said Daniel Atlin, vice-president (external) in a news release.
The U of G, like most universities, is planning for a hybrid fall semester, with only a small percentage of courses and activities offered face-to-face.
“The public health crisis continues to affect people and organizations in Guelph, across Canada and beyond,” said Atlin. “It is a complex, rapidly changing situation, which makes planning and decision-making incredibly challenging.
“Our No. 1 priority is health and safety. With this in mind, we have implemented a number of changes, which will affect the University and greater Guelph communities,” Atlin said.
“We remain committed to delivering a high-quality, innovative and engaging educational experience for our students and to being a strong partner to the City of Guelph.”
In addition, all varsity university sports are cancelled across Canada until Dec. 31, which means there will not be a homecoming football game or other public sporting events.
As a result of these changes, there will be far fewer students, staff, faculty and visitors on campus come September.
The school's O-Week and many other “welcome to campus” activities will move online, and offering virtual student experiences, clubs and recreation activities, wellness services, counselling and academic advising. Following public health guidelines, some athletic offerings and other activities may still occur on campus.
