To all Engineering students, staff and faculty
I know the last few weeks, and especially the past few days, have been really hectic, unpredictable, and frankly confusing.
The COVID-19 situation is moving really quickly and I know that this has affected each and every one of us, both academically and personally.
I want to be really open and clear in sharing what is going on, because it is such a quickly evolving situation.
Since my note this earlier morning, I’d like to answer questions that many of you have raised — and in particular to thank you for being frank in your comments.
- Physical lab spaces — including computing (ECF) labs and undergraduate teaching labs and makerspaces (Myhal Light Fabrication Facility) where people gather — will be closed. Research laboratories overseen by faculty members will remain open.
- At this time, students are encouraged to stay home or in residence and access course content online. We may all still be back on campus for exams after April 9 — I’ll let everyone know what is happening around final exams as I find out more from the University.
- I’m asking managers and chairs to be flexible in accommodating staff requests to work from home where it’s feasible for them to do so. For faculty and staff — info on how to set yourself up to work remotely are here: https://uofteng.ca/workingfromhome
- For students, info on how to remotely access ECF can be found here:
I will also be sending out a separate email directly to faculty, instructors and TAs outlining some ideas and options for alternative ways to deliver your course content.
Students, please keep checking Quercus for updates on your courses.
Everyone at the University is trying to make decisions that protect our health and wellness, and that uphold continuity as best we can. This is really a complex and unprecedented situation — and we know that we’re not going to get every single thing right.
We are trying to be flexible and make good calls — adaptability is key.
I’ll provide updates as soon as I get them and keep everyone in the loop.
I thank everyone for all your efforts in helping us manage through this very weird situation.
Chris
Christopher Yip
Dean
Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
University of Toronto
Dear Engineering students, staff and faculty
You will all have received the below message from President Gertler outlining changes to our classes and operations. I want to make it clear how these changes affect us here in Engineering.
- We will be cancelling all in-person meetings of undergraduate and graduate classes, effective Monday, 16 March 2020 through the end of the semester, which is 9 April 2020 for Engineering. Classes scheduled for today, 13 March 2020, will meet in person.
- Students, please check Quercus for messages from your instructors on the nature of any changes to your courses.
- Exams will happen — we will update you as soon as we are able on any changes to delivery or format.
- Our campus remains open, and staff and faculty should continue to come to work on site at this time where they are able.
- As always, any students, staff and faculty with cold and flu symptoms should stay home and report their absence through the tools available — the Absence Declaration tool in ACORN for students, or Employee Self Service for staff and faculty.
This is a very complex situation and things change rapidly — I know that this is a confusing time so I will keep everyone up to date on events, news, and announcements from my office via our various channels.
Chris
Christopher Yip
Dean
Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
University of Toronto
To all members of the U of T community:
As you know, since late last year, governments and institutions around the world have been responding in various ways to the threats posed by COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
The situation is now accelerating very rapidly. Two days ago, the World Health Organization determined that COVID-19 has reached the level of a global pandemic. Yesterday, among many other developments in Canada, the governments of Quebec and Alberta advised that indoor gatherings of more than 250 people should be cancelled, and the Ontario government announced that all public schools will remain closed for two weeks following the March break.
Continually since early January, the University of Toronto has been monitoring the situation very closely and taking action as necessary in light of the global situation, the advice of public health authorities and the concerns of our community. We have also been liaising regularly with other post-secondary institutions and sector organizations, as well as Toronto Public Health, while consulting with our own U of T experts in public health. We have been informing members of our community accordingly, through a website we created as a clearinghouse of authoritative information.
Yesterday we sent a memo directly to all students, faculty, librarians and staff on our three campuses, to update everyone on our planning for future contingencies. We announced the cancellation of all University-sponsored learning programs abroad. We advised that non-essential travel should be reconsidered and we recommended the cancellation or postponement of all discretionary events. We indicated the steps we have taken to support instructorsin planning for the possible cancellation of in-person classes and examinations. We reiterated our advice that those who are sick should stay home, and we reminded community members of where they can find more information online.
After careful consideration of developments over the past 24 hours, we have made the following additional decisions.
- We have decided to cancel all in-person undergraduate and research-stream Masters and Doctoral courses across U of T’s three campuses, and we will provide that teaching by other means (which may include existing online platforms).
- This decision is effective this coming Monday, March 16 and continuing until the end of classes on Friday, April 3. (Please note that all in-person teaching scheduled for today, Friday, March 13, will continue as planned.)
- With respect to professional programs, each of which has particular circumstances and accreditation requirements, consultation is ongoing today to determine the appropriate course of action.
- Professional students as well as faculty members, other instructors and staff in these programs will be advised by this coming Monday morning, as soon as decisions have been made.
- University operations continue, and all three campuses will remain open.
- Libraries, residences, food services, health & wellness centres, athletics and recreation facilities and other public spaces on all three campuses will remain open.
One of the key factors in these decisions is the need to foster a degree of “social distancing”, as recommended by public health authorities. On that front, our goal is to help interrupt the chain of transmission in the wider community, thereby protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring that our health care system will not become overburdened.
I would like to extend special thanks to those faculty and staff members who have been involved in monitoring and analyzing this evolving situation and in charting the way forward for the University at this difficult time. Your dedication is remarkable and deeply appreciated.
I salute our U of T clinicians and researchers who are making crucial contributions to the collective efforts to find solutions on the local, provincial, national and international levels. You make us proud.
I would also like to thank all members of the University of Toronto community – our students, faculty and staff members alike. We appreciate that the global COVID-19 pandemic is increasingly worrisome, and that the changes I have just announced will require very significant adjustments on everyone’s part. But, based on the strength of our bonds as a community and the good will that characterizes its members, we are confident that we will meet this challenge successfully.
Sincerely,
Meric S. Gertler
President, University of Toronto
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