Message from the President – September 15

Posted on Tuesday, September 15th, 2020

Dear Colleagues and Learners,

Here we are, with the intensity of the first week of term behind us. It has been inspiring to witness the energy and enthusiasm of our College community as we engage in a new academic year.

I have had the opportunity to talk to learners, including many studying with us this fall from their home country around the globe, and I also had a chance to chat with employees, parents and alumni. One week into our Fall term, the special ties that bind Algonquin College together are clear – even though many of us are not able to see each other in person.

On September 8, thousands of students from all three of our campuses took part in AC Day 1 – engaging in a wide variety of virtual workshops, events and orientations. Earlier this month, Pembroke’s Virtual AC Start activities were also a huge success.

While the pandemic has moved the majority of our programming and events online, it also presents unique opportunities for participation.

Thanks to virtual access, this marked the first time that students from Ottawa, Perth and Pembroke participated in the same AC Day 1 activities. And our employees were also able to take in some of the activities.

I encourage everyone to stay connected this term – be it through virtual events, clubs or study groups. Nothing can replace being together in person, but online platforms can rapidly connect us to peers who are off campus, outside of our communities and abroad.

We may have cutting-edge labs, equipment and facilities, however people connecting with people is at the heart of the Algonquin College experience.

That point really struck me when I met alumni moving their child into Residence on the Labour Day weekend. It was a reminder of the ever-growing Algonquin family. Many employees’ children choose to wear Algonquin green; and many of our students are children of proud Algonquin College alumni. We are a community – past, present and future.

On another note, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Ottawa region has been on the rise lately. I need our entire college community, employees and learners, to play your part on and off campus, to help reverse this concerning trend. We are in this pandemic together. That means supporting each other. It means going that extra mile to help a peer or colleague. It means taking special care with one another’s health and safety. For face-to-face activities, it means continuing to follow public health guidelines and adhering to campus access rules (for Pembroke, click here) for those required to be onsite. Please practice proper hand hygiene, respect one another’s space through 2 metre physical distancing, and wear your mask. For those of us only meeting online, it means treating each other with the same caring, integrity and respect as we would in person.

We have put together a wide variety of helpful tools, from ITS resources for working and studying from home to the Registrar Office – from our Student Learning Kit to our Employee Toolkit. The College’s main COVID-19 site features the latest news and updates, and a wealth of student and employee resources.

Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

Sincerely,

Claude Brulé

President and CEO

 


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