Message from the Senior Vice President, Academic – April 13

Posted on Tuesday, April 13th, 2021

The Spring season has arrived in Eastern Ontario. With the changes in weather and our part of the world coming out of the Big Sleep of winter, also comes the end of the Winter 2021 term. This is the last week of classes for most programs.

The Winter 2021 term is ending in a period of increased COVID restrictions in Ontario. The Provincial Government has issued a Stay-at-Home order that began on Thursday, April 8 and will be in effect until at least Wednesday, May 5. In that respect, the Winter term will end the same way it began, under a Province-wide lockdown. I echo President Claude Brulé’s sentiments to say thank you for your continued strength, patience and flexibility as we continue to move forward and make progress together.

On behalf of the entire College, I wish much success to those students completing their final assessments this month – as well as to the academic teams administering those assessments. Saturday, April 17, 2021 to Saturday, April 24, 2021 will mark Final Assessment Week for most of our postsecondary programs (outside of AC Online). Please note that those programs with physical or applied components may conduct some assessments on our physical campuses and that assessment dates vary from program to program. Students should take guidance from their teachers, facilitators and course outlines when it comes to individual scheduling. A reminder that all final assessments that can be done online will be completed online.

In light of the Provincial State of Emergency and Stay-at-Home order – and the newly announced move from in-person to online for elementary and secondary schools – I ask that faculty and students alike recognize that the situation may have imposed new and difficult challenges and changes in personal circumstances for many. Please continue to treat each other in keeping with our core values of Caring, Learning, Integrity, and Respect. During this period of increased stress and responsibilities, I want to remind everyone of the mental health resources that are available.

The American Jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once said:

Greatness is not in where we stand but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it—but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor.

I recognize that this has been a very difficult journey for many. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to our employees for their diligence and adaptability in creating an environment for students to continue on their paths to success. I also want to express my appreciation to our students for their ongoing flexibility and tenacity. Many have learned new, digital tools to succeed; others have stringently followed precautions in our labs to keep their peers and mentors safe; all have juggled increasing demands in their personal lives to continue their educational journey. Together, we have been bravely sailing rough and uncharted waters throughout this pandemic. Thanks to unity, teamwork, collaboration and our unwavering commitment to one another’s safety, we will weather this storm.

I wish all of you every success in your end-of-term activities!

Sincerely,

Chris Janzen

Senior Vice President, Academic


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