Dear Students,

I hope that you are enjoying a wonderful summer.

Last week, our returning students were able to complete the registration process for the Fall 2021 semester. As communicated previously, the upcoming semester is unlike any the University of Windsor has offered before. Course delivery mode options will give students the opportunity to continue their studies in a variety of ways.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been a shared experience for the entire world, the ebb and flow of its impact continues to shift. With that uncertainly in mind, the University of Windsor (and learning institutions across Canada) has promoted flexible learning options so that students would be assured of the format for their upcoming semester.

Online, Hy-Flex, and In-Person options ensured that teaching and learning would continue regardless of the pandemic’s impact. For some, that will mean a return to in-person, face-to-face classes. For others, learning continues with both online and in-person learning and for some students, their semester at the University of Windsor will take place from wherever they decide to study around the world.

We made a promise to students that once announced, class schedules and delivery modes would not change. This remains a promise kept. Students needed assurance that should they choose online learning, there would be no mid-semester requirement to shift to in-person learning. This disruption would be difficult to manage in the midst of studies for any student, local or international.

We are excited about recent government announcements regarding in-person learning. Our Hy-Flex courses were designed with changing public health measures in mind. In-person learning opportunities will grow as capacity limits expand. However, the online access to those courses will remain for the entirety of the Fall 2021 semester.

We know that the lifting of public health measures is directly tied to vaccination rates. We encourage all of our campus community to consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine, not only for the health and safety of our community, but also as means to end the pandemic.

We have recently launched the Take a Jab campaign in cooperation with student leadership, so that we can share information and awareness about COVID-19 vaccinations. Visit the campaign website to learn more and keep an eye out for an exciting announcement about prizing options that will be launched in the next couple of weeks.

Campus spirit and community through on-campus interaction is a vital part of the student experience. We will continue to maximize these opportunities. The Office of Student Experience will soon announce a comprehensive calendar of events for the Fall 2021 semester. We welcome all students to return to campus this fall and take advantage of the many opportunities for students to engage in-person. From student and faculty-led events to in-person labs and tutorials, to open study spaces, to recreational activities or utilizing our green spaces for leisure, we look forward to welcoming all students back to campus to enjoy the full university experience. These opportunities will only continue to expand as health guidance and directives from our local health unit evolve and allow.

I am optimistic that our gradual reopening this fall is a transition to our hopeful full return to campus and in-person instruction for the Winter term. 

Enjoy the well-earned time away. We look forward to seeing you soon,

Patti Weir, PhD

Provost and Vice-President, Academic (Acting)