Hello folks, and Happy New Year!
I am excited to welcome everyone back after what I hope was a restful and restorative holiday. As we gear up to begin a new calendar year and look forward to the start of our winter semester, please remember that public health and safety requirements remain in place for all of us. We have adjusted our plans for January as a precautionary measure and will continue to monitor conditions related to the pandemic, relaying information about any changes to our community.
I am looking forward to a successful 2022, and to help us get off to a good start, please note the following reminders and updates:
Resubmit your proof of vaccination
Whether you are coming to campus in January or not, all SLC students and employees are asked to resubmit proof of their vaccination status via the SLC SAFE app. The process is simple and is outlined here. There is a grace period during which time an orange badge in the app will mean you can access campus, however after January 14, 2022 only folks with a green badge in the app or an approved exemption and recent negative rapid test result will be able to enter campus.
The fact that students and employees on campus are all either fully vaccinated or have a negative rapid antigen test result is key to our semester being able to proceed as planned. I will remind folks of the daily screening required to enter our buildings, and how important it is that people do not come to campus if they are ill or experiencing symptoms. Information on the requirements for coming to campus can be found here.
Check Blackboard for course details
In response to public health guidance, SLC informed students and employees of adjustments to January course delivery before the holiday. Students should check Blackboard for specifics on their courses. Information about the winter semester is also listed here on the SLC website. Please read the FAQ found on the site and refer to the student portal slc.me where links to essential information are updated.
I will remind our community that everyone is working hard, and people are navigating unique situations, depending on their family status, work/life logistics, lived experience, and more. Please treat everyone you interact with, with the patience and respect that you, yourself would like to be treated with. We can continue progressing through the pandemic with kindness and as a community, together.
Stay connected and informed
It is more important than ever that our community stay connected and informed. SLC will continue to work with local and provincial public health authorities to make decisions about campus operations, and will share updates via email, on social media, the student engagement app URSLC, and our website. We are not alone in this, our sector and Ministry help guide the direction Ontario colleges take, and we have received incredible support and insight from our partners in public health. Their information and expertise help shape our plans and will continue to do so.
I feel we have several reasons to feel excited and optimistic as the new year begins, and I see the progress we are making in terms of helping our students achieve their goals even in the midst of changing and complex circumstances. I wish everyone a positive and healthy start to 2022!
Sincerely,
Glenn