Dear members of the U of G community, Over the last few weeks, in response to emerging protocols from Public Health, we have all made important adjustments to our work, our studies and our daily routines. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have prioritized social distancing, which has impacted many plans and events in both our personal and our professional lives. Under these difficult and challenging circumstances, our decisions are driven by the imperative of maintaining the health and safety of our community. As we continue to watch the spread of COVID-19 in Canada and around the world, we don't yet know when these social distancing measures will be relaxed or lifted. Given this uncertainty, we have made a difficult decision about two important spring events in our University's life. The University of Guelph will not host spring convocation ceremonies or Alumni Weekend in June 2020. We know that the decision to not hold the June convocation ceremonies will be very disappointing to our graduating students and their families and friends. Convocation is a time of celebration. A time for our students to celebrate, to reflect on their hard work and successes, and to become new members of our U of G alumni community. A time for our faculty and staff to celebrate the achievements of our amazing students. And a time for family and friends to gather and join in the celebration of our students' accomplishments. While these ceremonies will not happen in June, I have no doubt that, under the circumstances, each of us will find other ways to honour our graduating class! Please note that we will provide an update about our convocation plans in the coming weeks and that, although we will not be holding convocation ceremonies this June, all students who are eligible to graduate this year will still graduate. Each year, we also gather on campus with hundreds of our alumni to celebrate milestone reunions and to enjoy old and new friendships. Thank you to our many alumni who have put in so many hours planning these reunions and events. Again, we will update you in coming weeks as we re-envision Alumni Reunion and Weekend 2020. You can read more about convocation and Alumni Weekend cancellations in U of G's news release. Our world has changed so much in just a few short weeks. I thank each of you for your patience, your understanding and your resilience as we continue to work through this unprecedented situation together. Sincerely, Daily Updates: March 26, 2020 Summer 2020 Co-op Work Terms Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the closure of all non-essential businesses, the University has adjusted expectations for the summer 2020 co-op term, as follows:
For students whose work terms are affected by COVID-19, the minimum number of work terms required by all programs will be reduced by one. No program will reduce its requirements to fewer than three work terms. Provided a student affected by COVID-19 meets their program's adjusted requirements, they will receive their co-op credential. Academic continuity is incredibly important. With that in mind, the University will reach out to employers to determine whether they want to cancel, delay or offer a work-from-home solution for the summer 2020 co-op term. Students and their employers will be encouraged to follow the public health principles of social distancing.
Summer 2020 Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning The University will defer decisions about all other experiential and work-integrated learning to its colleges. Students should contact their program/placement coordinator to learn more about the status of their work-integrated learning experience.
Summer 2020 academic field school and field course operation To help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in remote locations and to reinforce the importance of social distancing, the University is cancelling all face-to-face academic field schools and field courses scheduled to run before Aug. 15. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
University Budget Town Hall postponed To promote social distancing, the University of Guelph's Budget Town Hall meeting is postponed until further notice.
Stay up-to-date with what U of G experts are saying The University of Guelph has many experts who are contributing to conversations about and solutions to help address the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay up-to-date on their work through stories posted on the U of G News page.
Arboretum helps you appreciate the great outdoors while keeping your distance The U of G Arboretum's buildings are closed to the public, but Arboretum interns have created an innovative way to let you appreciate the great outdoors while staying indoors. Two of their naturalist interns - who happen to be sisters and roommates - are hosting weekly video walks that tour the Arboretum grounds and help you discover different natural phenomena, explore new habitats and more! Check out the U of G Arboretum Facebook page to take part in a virtual walk and try their scavenger hunts, and photo and drawing challenges.
The University of Guelph's COVID-19 website is your best source of information about the University's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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