October 21, 2020
Yesterday, the Laurentian University Senate voted in favour of delivering the Winter 2021 semester via remote delivery. The discussion on the question focused first and foremost on providing the best possible education for our students while safeguarding the health, safety and wellness of students, faculty, and staff.
Other factors in the discussion included the advances made in delivering classes via remote learning, the requirements related to hands-on learning, and the overall quality of the student experience. The University will continue to deliver a small number of classes in-person, in a similar way to the fall 2020 semester, in which less than 1% of classes were delivered in person.
Additionally, the University will continue to welcome students in residence apartments on campus. Staff have been working diligently to implement and maintain COVID-19 protocols to keep students safe and, amidst the circumstances, have created a secure environment for students to live and learn. With recent announcements from the federal government, which welcome international students to Canada, Laurentian is pleased to host students from around the world in compliance with the campus’ COVID-19 readiness plan.
The University continues to support students, faculty, and staff through their day to day activities remotely. Laurentian University has been a leader in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and was the first public university in Canada to recognize the severity of the pandemic, suspending in-person classes in March, 2020. The winter semester takes place from January 2021 to April 2021.