平特五不中

A: Due to the current crisis and the importance of preserving the health and safety of our community, our Faculty adopts the Quebec government's and 平特五不中's default position that all non-essential research activities on campus must be postponed or halted in the short term. Research activities that are COVID-19-related are considered appropriate in today鈥檚 context and may proceed.*听 Researchers involved in COVID-19 projects need to seek approval via an access request made by writing to the Associate Dean, Research Sylvain.Baillet [at] mcgcill.ca (Sylvain Baillet), copying the Vice Dean, Research听Shari.Baum [at] mcgill.ca (Shari Baum). They should then听contact Dr. todd.lee [at] mcgill.ca (Todd C. Lee) who coordinates the COVID-19 MI4 task force.

听 * Consult: 2020/03/24 - COVID-19 - Research lab access update

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A: There are a number of reasons why we must comply with this directive:

• Even if there is enough space in your own lab, research personnel will inevitably move around the building as well as commute to and from campus. All of these activities increase the probability of transmitting and propagating the virus in the population.
• While the University is operational for the time being, the situation is extremely fluid. It is possible that new directives might require a full shut down of buildings for an indeterminate amount of time. The ramp-down period听allowed for your lab to finish experiments that were听in progress, safely store materials, and have your personnel take home any material that they may need in order to work from home.
• Reducing research activities will reduce pressures on services such as Environmental Health & Safety who may have to operate at reduced personnel numbers (because of self-isolation, etc.).
• Some of your research personnel may need to self-isolate because of cold/flu symptoms, recent international travel and/or children or immunosuppressed individuals at home.
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A: Ultimately, we must accept that the current COVID-19 situation is a unique emergency that requires exceptional measures that will inevitably have substantial impact on everyone's work. The aim is the continuation of essential research activities and operations on听a significantly reduced basis* that prioritizes the health and safety, first and foremost, of individuals, animals, cells, and instruments.

The key priorities of the University with respect to research are:

• to ensure the health and safety of its trainees and staff;
• to ensure the sustainability of critical research reagents and resources that are difficult to replace; and
• to assist PIs in maintaining or obtaining research funding.

听 * Consult: 2020/03/24 - COVID-19 - Research lab access update

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A: We are a university and many of our research staff are also learners, so we need to also abide by the directives of the Ministry of Education, which has ordered this ramp down.
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A: The tenure clock can be extended by 12 months, for those who wish to take advantage of that option.
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A: Each investigator is responsible for developing an individual plan to reduce research activities to only essential operations听on a temporary basis with a fluid timeframe. All activities and experiments that are not time-sensitive and/or that would not result in significant data loss should be postponed for the duration of the University鈥檚 closure. Investigators are encouraged to consider those research activities that can be conducted remotely in the event that the University closure is extended.
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A: For those whose laboratory research activities have been limited or shut down, we encourage you to take some time to review the safety practices in your labs. To learn about safety-related administrative tasks that can be completed even if you are away from the laboratory, please read this )
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Update:听 Effective Friday, 27 March, at 11pm, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE CONDUCTING COVID-19-RELATED RESEARCH, access to campus-based research labs and offices will be limited ONLY to those individuals authorized to provide essential services.听 Consult: 2020/03/24 - COVID-19 - Research lab access update.听

A: In keeping with the University鈥檚 instructions, an exemption must be requested by first discussing the issue with your Chair or Research Director and then by writing to the head of your research unit (e.g., institute) if your lab is on hospital premises, or else to the Associate Dean, Research Sylvain.Baillet [at] mcgcill.ca (Sylvain Baillet) and copying the Vice Dean, Research听Shari.Baum [at] mcgill.ca (Shari Baum.)

Update:听 Effective Friday, 27 March, at 11pm, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE CONDUCTING COVID-19-RELATED RESEARCH, access to campus-based research labs and offices will be limited ONLY to those individuals authorized to provide essential services.听 Consult: 2020/03/24 - COVID-19 - Research lab access update听

A: Requests need to be discussed with Department Chairs and then submitted to the Faculty鈥檚 Office of Research, via an e-mail to the head of your research unit (e.g., institute) if your lab is on hospital premises, or else to the Associate Dean, Research Sylvain.Baillet [at] mcgcill.ca (Sylvain Baillet), copying the Vice Dean, Research听Shari.Baum [at] mcgill.ca (Shari Baum).

Your email request needs to indicate the names of a maximum of four individuals per lab to be granted access 鈥� two designates and two alternates. Please provide their 平特五不中 ID number and email address. Depending on the lab鈥檚 requirements, these individuals may gain access on alternate days; the alternates may be required should the designates become infected. Where possible, only a single individual should be present in the lab at any given time.听 Please note that 平特五不中 has a policy on working alone in a lab that may be found here: 听http://www.mcgill.ca/ehs/laboratory/lab-safety-manual#cli_1.5.

Note that exempt status of a project will be unlikely to be approved if the request is for more than two people to be simultaneously present in the same lab space. Note also that granted access may be revoked should the situation and official guidelines evolve.
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Update:听听Consult: 2020/04/23听- CIHR / Faculty research news and updates听

A:听We have to follow the government directives on this. It鈥檚 very hard to predict when and how it will happen. We currently need to ramp up activities for some of our labs supporting COVID-19 research, with a close eye on how to ensure the safety of all.

A:听To be confirmed. Please consult with the Building Director's Office (buildingdirector.med [at] mcgill.ca)

A:听To be confirmed. Please consult with the Building Director's Office (buildingdirector.med [at] mcgill.ca)

A: All shared surfaces should be disinfected on a regular basis after use.听 Physical distancing within labs should be implemented听(i.e., limit the number of individuals in the lab at any one time; increase distances between individuals working at benches; wash your hands often). Use your judgement and follow the guidelines issued by government bodies.
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A: At this time, we believe that buildings will remain accessible via card access. However, access will be limited to those who have been granted permission only. The situation is very fluid; more restrictive access modalities may be imposed. We will endeavour to inform the community as early as possible in advance of changes to access.
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A: We are discouraging people from using their office, for the same reasons we are discouraging people from going to labs. The University campuses are closed. Stay home; this sets a far better example for students. As Faculty academics, it鈥檚 our responsibility.
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A: Those companies are maintaining their activities, so we should be ok when we ramp up.
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A: This needs to be managed in coordination between PIs and Dept Chairs or delegates, respecting the guidelines issued by the Faculty of Medicine, the BDO听or the hospital authorities.
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A: Individuals working in hospital-based research institutes must follow the directives of those institutions.
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A: All face-to-face testing of human participants (for non-clinical trial activities) should be postponed for at least the duration of the University鈥檚 closure.
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A: The IRB continues to function. Please submit through the normal process, but check their website for potential changes to deadlines and procedures. (/medhealthsci-gradstudies/ethics).
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A: If you are able to modify your recruitment or study procedures to utilize remote contact (i.e., not face-to-face), you may submit a Protocol Deviation form. These will be tracked but you needn't wait for approval for this type of adjustment.听听For all submissions, please send electronically to submit2irb.med [at] mcgill.ca.听 No additional hard copies are required during this time and electronic signatures are also encouraged

A: No new experiments should be launched as of now and orders of new animals should not be considered.
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A: For those of you who work with animals, CMARC will provide essential services, but there will be additional needs, so your individual plans should include provisions for sustainability of key research tools and reagents in the animal rooms and, more generally, the research units and labs of the Faculty. Please discuss these experiments with your unit heads or Department Chairs to ensure that social distancing is observed while working in the animal facility.
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A: Dr. Jim Gourdon has asked, when feasible, to have your personnel who have been authorized to access the animal facilities to please do so during non-CMARC-working hours (which are 7am-2pm). This will help to ensure appropriate social distances are maintained by reducing the number of people in the facilities and using the equipment at the same time. If you must work during CMARC-working hours, please discuss your needs with Dr. Jim Gourdon.
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A: 平特五不中 is in communication with funding agencies to address the resulting issues. Should there be a need, OVPRI will request extensions to grant application deadlines, fund use deadlines, etc. This would include the potential renegotiation of contracts if necessary.听Please contact OSR at awards.osr [at] mcgill.ca. One of their professional research administrators will follow up with you as soon as possible.

Visit the VPRI FAQ - Impact of COVID-19 Closures on R+I Services website for more information: /research/vpri-services-covid19-faq

CIHR updates:听听Consult: 2020/04/23听- CIHR / Faculty research news and updates听

A: This varies depending on the agency. The specific implementation details are not available for all agencies yet.听OSR and the Faculty will share the information as it becomes available.听

Please consult the Office of Sponsored Research section in the VPRI FAQ - Impact of COVID-19 Closures on R+I Services website for agency-specific information.
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Update:听听Consult: 2020/04/23听- CIHR / Faculty research news and updates听

A: We are in communication with CIHR to encourage them to clarify the eligibility criteria, which remain ambiguous at this time. Most of those who qualify will likely receive direct communication from CIHR. Please do not hesitate to contact CIHR directly with your questions and specific requests: support-soutien [at] cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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Update:听听Consult: 2020/04/23听- CIHR / Faculty research news and updates听

A: We are reaching out to get clarity. Expect some communication as soon as we hear back from CIHR
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Update:听听Consult: 2020/04/23听- CIHR / Faculty research news and updates听

A: There is no plan for CIHR to offer extensions for Foundation grant holders, but the situation is fluid so we will keep an eye on that as well
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A: Please consult the Office of Sponsored Research section in the VPRI FAQ 鈥� Impact of COVID-19 Closures on R+I Services website for agency-specific information.
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A: As indicated on the FRQS website, the will be announced on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

A: Very interesting idea. The first ask was for students and we have emergency financial aid with money from the Provost, and a fund to support students has been launched with donor support. The second ask was for Covid-related research. There could conceivably be a third ask related to this
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A: We expect announcements later this month about the results of the Fall 2019 competition. See extension information in an earlier question
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A: We don鈥檛 have an across-the-board policy, but there is a possible extension of start-up grants and funds. If you are a new investigator who has a start up, it鈥檚 important to contact the Faculty鈥檚 Academic Affairs Office, as they oversee this
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A: Every case is different. Investigators should speak first to their department chairs about department mentorship programs. Then please let them know that the Faculty鈥檚 Research and Graduate Studies Office is available to help them navigate. Also, the Faculty鈥檚 Academic Affairs Office has launched, via its Telemachus program, special workshops to address these questions 鈥� meetings occur on Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30pm via zoom ()
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A: All CFI competitions are proceeding. There are challenges with respect to renovations, though, given the current directives.

Please consult the Strategic Initiatives section in the VPRI FAQ - Impact of COVID-19 Closures on R+I Services website for more information.
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A: The Principal herself has identified this potential problem. There are lots of union consequences. This is on the list of things being looked at by EOC.

A: Some foundations (such as the Weston Brain Institute) are reaching out to PIs to ask for cost estimates for emergency funding to maintain core personnel under various durations of work shut down, with the implied promise of additional money.
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A: This is not permissible under the present government rules. Any change to this will be communicated in 平特五不中鈥檚 MRO updates. For now, all staff must remain paid. Any concerns or questions you have regarding layoffs, etc., must be discussed with Faculty of Medicine HR.
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A: That is ongoing鈥� we are lobbying the government. We haven鈥檛 gotten to the level of Members of Parliament, but the government has come back to say 鈥榃e hear you, we understand it鈥檚 important, please bear with us.鈥�
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A: This has to be addressed with Faculty of Medicine HR. It鈥檚 not clear that they would qualify.
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A: Should someone within your lab fall ill with COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever, difficulty breathing), (s)he should follow the provincial policies and 平特五不中鈥檚 policies regarding reporting (visit the Faculty of Medicine鈥檚 COVID-19 page here for more information about self-isolation).

The supervisor should be notified and should share the relevant information with others working in the same lab environment (particularly given that many labs are shared by several PIs).
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A: We are also offering regular FacMed Peer Support for faculty members. The Zoom link for these drop-in sessions, which take place on Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30pm, is .
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A: Please consider employees鈥� personal circumstances and concerns should there be any; we must abide by the University鈥檚 HR policies, along with those of the hospitals in which many of our labs are based. We anticipate additional information concerning HR policies in the context of the pandemic to be communicated soon. In the meantime, here are a few guiding principles:

• It is critical to ensure open and frequent communication among all lab members/personnel, highlighting that health and safety must come first.
• Please ensure that principles of empathy and flexibility (including with respect to work hours) are applied, in addition to social responsibility.
• Students, postdocs and employees should continue to be paid from grant funds even if they are unable to work; (we anticipate that most will be able to use this time to work at home to complete other meaningful aspects of their projects such as catching up on the literature, writing papers, etc).
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A: Yes: we need to continue recruiting. However, it鈥檚 not clear regarding visas, etc. how quickly things will move. We鈥檝e started planning for the fall and there are many scenarios, including remote instruction and front-loading courses. We are working hard with the government to help them understand the process of visas, etc. We are reaching out to international students who have been accepted to encourage them to enroll.
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A: Our intention was that on-campus lab work cannot be required of trainees who may be reluctant to go to the lab. They are free to continue to work on aspects of their projects that may be completed remotely.
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A: All students and postdocs have received several emails outlining the regulations that they should not be in labs/on campus for non-essential research activities and only once or twice per week for one to two hours at a time and respecting physical distancing directives, for essential research (longer times for COVID-related research).
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A: It鈥檚 not common but even a few is too many.
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A: A whistle-blower line would be a great mechanism, but for now we are encouraging students, postdocs and staff to bring their concerns to us. All reports are treated confidentially. The Graduate Studies Office has been advised by Angela Campbell, Associate Provost (Equity and Academic Policies) that these matters can go straight to disciplinary action. For now, we are working with PIs, but if this behaviour continues, we will have no choice but to do so.
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A: It is possible, but we trust everyone鈥檚 judgement. We鈥檝e looked into it and we may take that approach if need be. Some card access is needed in case there are emergencies like freezer or equipment breakdowns that have to be dealt with as exceptions, but that could possibly be limited to PIs and a few others. As the heads of their groups, we expect supervisors to instruct these students, postdocs and staff to stay home. If some continue to disobey instructions, please inform the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.
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A: No. This situation is not one they can control.
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A: Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is forwarding contacts to our students for mental health support. We are also having Zoom drop-in sessions at the level of grad programs.

If anyone has serious concerns about a trainee or postdoc or staff, please support them and let us know.
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A: Their research should be prioritized. If necessary, accommodations regarding thesis submission timelines should be negotiated with GPS.
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A: No. Because undergraduate research projects are associated with courses, they are cancelled whenever classes are cancelled. Consider means to provide marks based on what has been completed to date (depending on the duration of the University closure) and encourage students to begin their reports/write-ups as soon as possible.
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A: Yes.

A: Your supervisor must submit an exemption request to the Associate Dean, Research Sylvain.Baillet [at] mcgcill.ca (Sylvain Baillet), copying the Vice Dean, Life Sciences Shari.Baum [at] mcgill.ca (Shari Baum). The request should clearly and explicitly outline what is required (e.g. duration, room access, etc.)
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A: As above, your supervisor must submit an exemption request to the Associate Dean, Research Sylvain.Baillet [at] mcgcill.ca (Sylvain Baillet), copying the Vice Dean, Life Sciences Shari.Baum [at] mcgill.ca (Shari Baum). The request should clearly and explicitly outline what is required (e.g. duration, room access, etc.)
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A: Yes, GPS has extended the deadline for thesis submission to 11:59 pm on April 30, 2020. Please see the GPS website for additional COVID-19 information specifically related to graduate students. (/gps/covid-19-updates).
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A: As per 平特五不中鈥檚 Working Alone Policy, anyone who will be working alone should ensure that others are aware of their location and will check in with them from time to time, either in person or by telephone.
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A: GPS has published a list of the effects of the campus closure on grad activities. Please contact your program鈥檚 GPD or GPC to discuss.
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A: Delays in data collection are likely unavoidable during the interruption. We encourage you to use this time to make progress in reading the literature, revisiting old data and analysing new results, designing new experiments and working on writing manuscripts or parts of your thesis. Regular meetings with your supervisor and other members of your research group can be continued remotely.
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