Fall 2021 course delivery

Dear members of the Laurier community,

We recognize the challenges that all members of the Wilfrid Laurier University community have faced over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the uncertainty of the past few months. Our faculty, staff and students have continued to adapt to evolving circumstances as we adhere to public health guidelines. Thank you to all students, faculty and staff for your ongoing resiliency, hard work and dedication.

Planning for Fall 2021 Course Delivery

Many of you have shared how much you miss being on our campuses and that you are eager to return to campus as soon as it is safe to do so.

• We are pleased to share that as we look ahead to Fall 2021, we are planning and preparing for a return to campus and to offer as many undergraduate and graduate courses in person as possible within public health guidelines.
• We are planning for our student residence buildings to remain open and operational, providing these plans meet whatever provincial regulations are in place in the fall.
• The Winter, Spring, Intersession and Summer 2021 terms will take place primarily remote and online as previously announced.

Operating Within Public Health Guidelines

Protecting health and safety and creating as much stability as possible for students, faculty and staff, as well as the safety of the communities in which we operate, is of utmost importance and has been the foundation of our decision-making since the pandemic began.

• The university’s top priorities continue to be supporting students in their academic endeavours, a commitment to continuing research activities within the provincial limits, and keeping residences open for students living on-campus.
• As we plan for Fall 2021, we anticipate that a number of existing public health restrictions may remain in place, such as mandatory mask orders, limitations on gatherings and physical distancing requirements. These requirements may limit Laurier’s ability to offer certain kinds of courses, especially very large ones, on our campuses.

COVID-19 will remain part of our lives for some time, and precautions will still be necessary. However, the news of the vaccines is encouraging. As the vaccine continues to roll out across the province, there is room for hope and optimism that our lives will start getting back to a place where we can be in person again.

Commitment to Student Experience and Flexibility

We remain committed to providing our undergraduate and graduate students with the best educational experience possible, in a way that allows for campus connections, athletics and recreation, and opportunities to live and study, socialize and gain work experience on our campuses.

• For students who prefer remote learning – or a mix of remote and in-person courses – we will at the same time be providing enhanced options for virtual learning. This option will appeal to some of our students who may not feel ready to return to campus and also to those who have come to appreciate the flexibility of online learning.

All of us at Laurier are looking forward to the day we welcome back our students, faculty and staff in person to our campuses. We will continue to share additional information as it becomes available in the coming months. In the meantime, look for updates about the fall term at wlu.ca/coronavirus.

Stay safe, stay connected and stay well.

Tony Vannelli, Provost and Vice-President: Academic
Ivan Joseph, Vice-President: Student Affairs