With our Fall Term fully underway and mid-term break upon us, I am excited to take this opportunity to provide an update on Algonquin’s Winter Term 2022 plans.
Algonquin College has gradually increased campus activity each term since participating in a provincial summer pilot program in 2020 and has a stellar health and safety track record – with no confirmed cases of on-campus transmission to this date. In light of this success and in keeping with directives from the Ontario Government and Ottawa Public Health, we are lifting the capacity limits and physical distancing requirements in all indoor instructional spaces. In this next step toward a return and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be inviting even more activity back to our campuses for the 2022 Winter term, as well as a corresponding increase in the level of on-campus student supports – from food services and campus services to student services and events. We are planning for a more vibrant and engaging on-campus experience.
Information regarding the delivery modality of programs in the Winter 2022 term can be found here. In addition, a wealth of information regarding services and supports available to students can be found in this link. The Algonquin College Students’ Association (SA) works hard to support students, both in their academic studies and in college life outside of class. I encourage you to check out their web page for information about the supports and activities the SA provides. In particular, I know the SA is thrilled with the opening of the brand new Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. It is an amazing facility!
I want to once again, thank the College community for its ongoing support for our Mandatory Vaccination Policy. Information gathered from our AC Mobile Safety App indicates that over 97 per cent of College community members attending campuses are fully or partially vaccinated – with the latter group required to continue rapid antigen testing until fully vaccinated. This is excellent news as we turn our minds to the Winter Term and increasing our on-campus activities through more in-person academic programming, services, and events. We can’t wait to see you, and are planning for a more vibrant and engaging on-campus experience – something that I know I look forward to with excitement.
I also want to remind everyone that October 30, 2021 is the date when “complete” vaccination is required – meaning you need to have received your last dose and have waited the requisite 14 days to be considered fully vaccinated. If you have not received your last dose – and undergone the 14-day waiting period by this point – you will not be allowed entry to the campus. This is extremely important as we approach the October 30 deadline and look towards finishing out the term. It will also help us prepare to welcome new and returning students to our campus in January 2022. Your steadfast commitment to health and safety is paying off – with an expected 70 per cent of academic programming expected to be in-person. An update from our Senior Vice President Academic on our Winter Term plans will be communicated next week.
OTTAWA (October 21, 2021) – Algonquin College is pleased to announce the establishment of a student broadcasting award in honour of alumnus and Emmy Award winner Blair H. Tetreault, who passed away earlier this year.
The Blair H. Tetreault Memorial Award, made possible by a $109,000 endowed gift from his family, will provide an annual award of approximately $4,000 to a second-year student in the Broadcasting-Television Program.
Blair graduated in 1981 from the Broadcasting-Radio and Television program, following which he launched a prominent career spanning 40 years. Early in his career, he worked as an editor for news and public affairs programs at Ottawa CTV before transitioning to roles in live sports broadcasting. Among his many notable successes, Blair covered the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary for CTV, the men’s hockey tournaments at the 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics for CBS, and later worked in various broadcasting roles on NHL hockey games and on major soccer tournaments across North America. He and his crew won Emmy Awards for their coverage of the 1994 Winter Olympics coverage and the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final in 2015.
OTTAWA (OCTOBER 20) – Algonquin College is pleased to announce it has entered into a partnership agreement with the Kanata North Business Association (KNBA) as a Shared Academic Anchor Sponsor for the new collaborative community space at 350 Legget Drive.
Located in Canada’s largest tech park – the space known as Hub350 – will allow Algonquin to showcase its programs and subject-matter experts, provide on-site and hybrid training opportunities and directly connect with the vast network of companies served by the KNBA. The College is joining other private sector, finance and academia partners at Hub350, including the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Queen’s University.
“Algonquin College continues to be a community leader in building and fostering partnerships that help our learners grow, prosper and achieve their career dreams and lifelong success. Our partnership with the KNBA at Hub350 is another step forward in helping leverage the College’s broad range of expertise and provide our learners with the real-world experiences and connections they will need to find success,” said Claude Brulé, Algonquin’s President and CEO.
The partnership includes participation in the Discover Kanata Career Fair and will provide opportunities for the College’s Co-operative Education department and Office of Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship to collaborate and build relationships with more than 500 businesses represented by the KNBA. Continue reading Algonquin College Partners with Kanata North Business Association at New Hub350
Jeremy Roberts, MPP for Ottawa West – Nepean, announced today that the Ontario government is investing $1.5 million in a skills training project at Algonquin College to prepare and train 150 people for rewarding careers in manufacturing.
Through the SkillsAdvance Ontario (SAO) program, Algonquin College will work with a number of local employers to address the ongoing labour shortage challenges facing the manufacturing sector in the National Capital Region. This project will support 50 job seekers and 100 incumbent workers, through targeted and customized training and recruitment initiatives, to fill job vacancies with four manufacturers in the region.
“Algonquin College is proud to partner with the Ontario government to support hands-on training opportunities for those seeking jobs in the vital manufacturing sector – and those already working in the industry who are looking for re-training and upskilling. This initiative will contribute to Ontario’s economic recovery and have a beneficial impact on the industry,” said Claude Brulé, Algonquin President and CEO.
SAO is a sector-based workforce development initiative. It supports the development of partnerships that bring together sector-based employers and employment and training providers to ensure a pool of job-ready, skilled workers that meet the workforce development needs of employers. SAO provides jobseekers and incumbent workers with sector-focused employment and training services to support them to obtain and succeed in entry level low and medium-skilled positions, and to advance in higher skilled jobs.
Every year when autumn arrives and the days get darker sooner, I find myself wondering how did we get here so fast and where did the summer go? As the leaves turn into a magnificent display of colours and everything is being harvested for the long winter months ahead, it is a reminder to be thankful for the bounty that will sustain us as the season changes.
Heading into the Thanksgiving long weekend, I am incredibly grateful that many of us will be able to be with friends and family for the holiday due to the continued progress we are making in our efforts against the pandemic. I am particularly thankful and proud of our own College community’s ongoing commitment to keeping one another safe – including the widespread support for our Mandatory Vaccination Policy for those attending activities on our campuses. You have demonstrated that steadfast commitment to each other throughout the pandemic, and it is steadily paying off.
I am also thankful for the fall harvest – including the corn, beans and squash grown in our own Three Sisters Indigenous garden – which remind us of the vital connection we have with nature.
This weekend, I hope you all have the opportunity to enjoy the crisp, invigorating air, the vivid fall colours, some heart-warming food, and the chance to gather with good friends and loved ones. Whatever your plans, I hope you find time to safely relax, reflect and connect with others.
Again, I give many thanks to our students and employees for all they have done to support one another’s health, safety and success. I wish each and every one of you a wonderful Thanksgiving.
OTTAWA (OCT. 7) – A new Addictions and Mental Health Graduate Certificate Program being offered by Algonquin College’s AC Online Campus has surpassed its fall enrolment predictions, and is helping meet the growing demand for professionals with the knowledge and skills to treat concurrent disorders across a variety of clinical settings and workplaces.
During National Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 3-9), it’s an important time to not only recognize the reality of mental illness, and resources available, but also those learners gaining valuable skills to assist those in need on the frontlines.
The 42-week online program offers students the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by front-line workers to deliver responsive and effective substance use disorder treatment and mental health services while promoting empowerment, self-determination and optimum quality of life to individuals. Students gain practical experience through a supervised eight-week placement, learning to apply their clinical skills, establish appropriate relationships with clients, and participate in professional, collaborative team environments.
“Over the past several years, we have seen an emerging recognition around the profound nature and impact of mental health and addiction disorders and the need for increased awareness and clinical supports,” said Algonquin College President and CEO, Claude Brulé. “Offering this program through the College’s AC Online Campus provides the perfect vehicle for professionals who are looking for flexible learning options to bolster their credentials and add to their skill sets to help meet the demand for these vital services.”
The wide array of successes and dedication to community of Algonquin College’s 2021 Alumni of Distinction Award winners were highlighted during a virtual ceremony to honour them on Thursday night (September 30).
The annual awards’ evening commenced with an address from Andre O’Bonsawin, Algonquin College’s Director of Indigenous Initiatives, who congratulated the winners and acknowledged the significance of Thursday’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“Today we mark the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, and we strive to learn, reflect, commemorate and pay tribute to the victims of Canadian residential schools, including survivors and the families of those who we lost,” said O’Bonsawin, noting how the College takes pride in its “commitment to making Indigenous knowledge and Truth and Reconciliation an integral part of its culture every day.”
I would like to start off this week’s communiqué with a note of thanks for your ongoing patience this past month as we implemented the College’s new Mandatory Vaccination Policy for the start of the 2021 Fall Term. Support for the use of the Algonquin Mobile Safety App to submit vaccine status information has been incredible, with over 11,500 applications submitted by College community members. Of these submissions, 92% are fully or partially vaccinated against COVID-19.
The month of October lies ahead and features three crucial deadlines related to our policy:
October 12: Those choosing to be unvaccinated by personal choice will not be permitted access to the campus after this date – unless they have been approved for an exemption (details on this process can be found here).
October 16: For those pursuing vaccination, this is the latest date you can receive your last shot in order to meet the College’s October 30 deadline for full vaccination. (Once you receive your last dose, you must re-submit your proof of vaccination via our AC Mobile Safety App or web portal).
October 30: This is the date complete vaccination is required – meaning you have received your last dose and have waited the requisite 14 days to be considered fully vaccinated. If you have not received your last dose – and undergone the 14-day waiting period by this point – you will not be allowed entry to the campus.
What: September 30, 2021 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. September 30 also marks the annual Orange Shirt Day.
Algonquin College will be marking the day in several ways in person and online for the entire college community. Members of public are invited to tune in to the virtual presentations to learn more.
When: September 30, 2021, All Day
Where: Online and in person at Algonquin College
Activities: Memorial Fire (all day) – Ishkodewan Indigenous courtyard Those on Ottawa campus are invited to stop by the Memorial Fire at Ishkodewan, the College’s Indigenous courtyard located in the DARE District outside C Building. The fire-vessel in Ihkodewan, which means “there is fire,” will be burning all day. According to Ron (Degandus) McLester, Vice President of Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenization, “the fire is both a physical, metaphorical and spiritual centre of many communities. We call upon this fire to warm our bodies, connect our minds and help to transport our prayers into the spirit world.”
