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Dear Laurier students:
Let me start by telling you how pleased I am to be joining Wilfrid Laurier University as your new Provost and VP: Academic. My first day here was Aug. 1 and it has been a pleasure to become part of the Laurier community and to support the work to make this upcoming academic year a positive and rewarding one.
I know that clarity about how Laurier is going to approach the winter 2021 term is important. After carefully considering the options and potential future scenarios in this rapidly-evolving environment, as well as getting advice from public health professionals, we have decided that the majority of the winter 2021 term will continue to be offered in a remote and online format, with select in-person courses resuming as outlined below.
In consultation with the deans and academic leaders in the faculties, we will determine which courses and/or programs may be able to resume in-person instruction. These decisions will be guided by the following principles:
Although this means that the winter term will be similar to the fall term, I want to assure you that the university is very carefully considering which courses could return to in-person instruction in winter term 2021. Specifically, we will be looking at the following types of courses/programs to see which could be considered for a return to in-person format, and providing a detailed list in late September:
Because the winter term is also the final term for many students scheduled to graduate, there will also be a special focus on ensuring that students have the opportunity to complete courses that are required for graduation and that require some form of in-person instruction.
We are continuing to work through many of the details, but I wanted to let you know about this decision as soon as possible. We continue to update our website content as decisions get made, and I encourage you to keep checking there for additional details and answers to your questions.
As I’m sure you all are, I am very much looking forward to the day when we can gather in person safely, and when we can resume in-person classes, instruction, research, and social activities. However, I know that we also share a commitment to doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the most vulnerable in our families and communities.
I wish you all the best of luck as you begin your fall term.
Sincerely,
Dr. Anthony Vannelli
Provost and VP: Academic