Fall is that special time of year when we give thanks. And this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend will be unlike any in recent memory. This year, many of us will be thankful for the people most dear to us, ironically, by keeping our distance from them.
Amidst rising COVID-19 cases, Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health for Ottawa Public Health, is recommending celebrating Thanksgiving only alongside the “people we live with.” The Premier has also called for everyone to keep two metres away from those outside of our households.
The increased call for vigilance comes with good reason. Recent research conducted by Ottawa Public Health shows that one quarter of all September COVID-19 cases were the result of people socializing with those outside their household. Continue reading Message from the President – October 08
Let us introduce to you the College’s new Board of Governors for the 2020-2021 academic year!
The Board of Governors is made up of seventeen individuals: Twelve external Governors from various sectors of our community; four internal Governors who represent Students, Faculty, Support Staff and Administrative Staff; and our President. Two thirds of our members are Board-appointed and the remainder are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Board employs an open recruitment process to fill vacancies. Interested members of the public can apply to join our Board via the Board’s public website or through Ontario’s Public Appointments Secretariat website.
Please click here to scroll through our Governors’ portraits and biographies – what better way to get to know your Board of Governors? Should you have any questions about how the Board carries out its responsibilities, please contact Victoria Tiqui-Sanford, at extension 7702 or by email: tiquisv@algonquincollege.com.
Ottawa, ON – October 5, 2020 – Ciena is working with Algonquin College to upgrade its Optophotonics Lab on the Ottawa campus – providing students hands-on experience with the same cutting-edge equipment that currently powers the majority of internet traffic and Zoom calls.
Thanks to Ciena’s support, School of Advanced Technology graduates will benefit from extensive, experiential learning on the same equipment available in top corporations – including major telecommunications carriers in Canada and around the world.
“We couldn’t be more grateful for Ciena’s contribution, they have been a wonderful partner for close to a decade,” said Claude Brulé, President and Chief Executive Officer of Algonquin College. “This will ensure our current and future learners have access to the latest and greatest technology – and position them to find employment and long-term career success in the tech sector.” Continue reading Ciena Supports Upgrade Of State-Of-The Art Optophotonics Lab At Algonquin College
Earlier this week, the Premier confirmed Ontario is officially dealing with a second wave of COVID-19 cases – and medical experts believe a key factor in this increase is the casual following of health and safety guidelines.
Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said we need to “hunker down and stay on task” – a call to action I fully support on our own campuses. Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health at Ottawa Public Health, echoed that theme in a recent message asking the city’s institutions to “promote key practices that will help us get through these challenging times.”
We cannot afford to be casual about health and safety – nor to let our guard down in the slightest. We must all put the needs of our community first. Our collective wellbeing is the number one priority.
So, if you have COVID-19 symptoms, do not come to campus. Get tested. If you have had a close contact with a positive case, you should also be tested. If you have taken a COVID-19 test, self-isolate until you receive the results and then follow the required self-isolation measures indicated by public health. Do not attend campus. (Learn more about COVID-19 testing and attending campus here.) Continue reading Message from the President – Sept 30
This year, it is more important than ever to reduce the spread of the flu.
Algonquin College’s Health Services is currently finalizing its plans to provide flu shots again this Fall to all students and employees who are approved to be on campus for work and/or study. The vaccination clinics will be conducted under the guidelines and protocols of Ottawa Public Health, incorporating all required safety protocols. Further details regarding the 2020/21 Flu Vaccination Clinics with Health Services will be announced soon.
In addition to getting your flu vaccine, you can help stop the spread of the flu, and protect yourself and your family by following a few easy steps:
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with your arm, not your hand.
• If you are sick, STAY HOME.
• Do not visit hospitalized patients or residents of retirement homes or long-term care homes if you are
experiencing flu-like symptoms.
• Maintain physical distancing of 2 metres (6 feet) apart
• Wear a mask if physical distancing is difficult
• Abide by the City of Ottawa’s guidelines for maximum group sizes for indoor gatherings
Algonquin College Professor, Tania Silletta, has been selected to receive a Minister’s Award of Excellence for her work in the Therapeutic Recreation (TR) graduate certificate program.
The announcement was made today (September 28) by Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities, Ross Romano. Criterion for the award is based on, among other things, transition to online delivery, community impact and research.
“It’s actions like (Silletta’s) that contribute to our world-class postsecondary sector,” said Romano.
When then pandemic struck this spring, Silletta along with program coordinator Patricia Robson, developed virtual placements for Algonquin TR students. The volunteer pilot program was ground-breaking and overwhelmingly successful. Continue reading Algonquin Professor Tania Silletta receives Minister’s Award
On behalf of Algonquin College, it is my pleasure to welcome our learners and employees to Campus Pride Week 2020 (September 28 to October 2). I will be officially launching this year’s festivities on Monday morning at a small flag raisingceremony alongside the President of the Students’ Association. The event will be streamed live for the wider community to attend virtually.
While this year’s Campus Pride Week will be conducted virtually, the dynamic list of events will bring our entire community together and allow us to stand alongside our 2SLGBTQ+ learners, employees and allies to celebrate, share and learn.
Algonquin College and Ottawa Tourism celebrated the launch of Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurship Training, which will support Indigenous entrepreneurs in the creation and development of their own business and tourism ideas.
Thanks to funding provided by the Canadian Experiences Fund, this partnership will see the creation of 10-week training modules, which will prepare Indigenous learners with the skillset to develop their business and tourism plans, and prepare them to pitch their idea to founders, as well as apply for funding through various agencies. Continue reading AC and Ottawa Tourism launch Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurship Training
An announcement has been released from the provincial government outlining changes to unmonitored social gatherings.
Effective September 18, 2020 at 12:01 am, the new maximum number of people permitted to attend unmonitored, social gatherings and organized public events in Ottawa will be reduced to 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors.
The new rules do not apply to monitored social gatherings or organized public events held in staffed businesses and facilities. As a result, there should be no direct impact on the current state of College operations.Continue reading Message from the President – September 18
Just as COVID-19 cases have risen in Ottawa and across the province, Algonquin College has also been affected. Algonquin has had its first case of COVID-19 affecting a student who has been on-campus. The student is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 and we wish them a speedy and full recovery.
The College is working directly with Ottawa Public Health to assist them in contact tracing. Any members of the College community who may be directly impacted by this will be contacted accordingly.
Areas of the campus that the student may have visited are being identified and the necessary cleaning / disinfection measures applied.
Dear Colleagues and Learners:
Algonquin College Professor, Tania Silletta, has been selected to receive a Minister’s Award of Excellence for her work in the Therapeutic Recreation (TR) graduate certificate program.
Algonquin College and Ottawa Tourism celebrated the launch of Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurship Training, which will support Indigenous entrepreneurs in the creation and development of their own business and tourism ideas.