Message from the President – November 17

Posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2020

Dear Colleagues and Learners,

Reports of increasing cases of COVID-19 and warnings they could continue to climb higher are a stark reminder that we must continue our stringent adherence to public health guidelines and plan ahead with the health and safety of College learners and employees as our top priority.

As such, I have two announcements today regarding our operations as we head toward 2021.

First, the College has decided to extend the cancellation of all on-campus events until June 30, 2021. Public health officials continue to underscore the high risk associated with large indoor gatherings, and because many of our events require weeks and months of preparation, we wanted to give everyone the advanced notice so people can plan accordingly.

This decision extends to our Ottawa, Pembroke and Perth campuses. Notwithstanding the Provincial zone a campus is located in, there are regulations that limit the size of gatherings, and it is clear that these types of activities contribute to the spread of infection. Going forward, we will continue to closely monitor the directives from our public health agencies and notify you of any changes to our policy.

Secondly, our current model of limited on-campus and primarily remote course delivery is anticipated to continue through the Fall of 2021. However, we remain hopeful and prepared to expand on-campus offerings, pending any changes with the pandemic and public health guidelines.

I encourage you to continue following all of the public health guidance and the College health & safety procedures surrounding infection prevention and control. For those required to attend our campuses, please review the details surrounding the use of the COVID-19 self-screening app in order to access campuses via designated public entrances. For our complete Campus Access site, which includes sections with specialized information for employees and students, visit here (for Pembroke, visit here).

As we head toward the New Year and a well-deserved break over the holiday season, my greatest wish is that circumstances become more favourable and we can safely re-open the campus to additional activity at some future date. The road we have travelled on together over the past several months has not been easy, and we do not make decisions without considering every possible avenue.

While there are encouraging signs that new medical innovations and vaccine developments are closer to realization, we must continue the course until we can all be together again enjoying each other’s company – and creating new connections – on the campuses we so dearly miss. The safety and well-being of everyone in the College and broader community will remain our guiding principle.

Stay well everyone,

Claude Brulé

President, CEO

Algonquin College

 


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