Dear McGill students,
The Fall semester is just a few weeks away, and McGill staff are working hard to welcome you back to our campuses. For generations of students, those early days of the semester have marked an unforgettable time of new beginnings and happy reconnections. I’m delighted that this year youҴýappl be benefitting from all campus experiences that we have come to expect from a university such as McGill.
As the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) mentioned in his recent message to the community, Fall 2022 will be a fully in-person semester in terms of teaching and research , as determined in the Final Report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on COVID Academic Planning and Policies. All courses will be delivered in person, save for those specifically designed and approved to be delivered online. Students should not expect that online synchronous participation (e.g., “Zooming” remote students into an in-person teaching activity) will be available in their courses.
It is important for us all to remain vigilant regarding the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is encouraged to wear a mask, and mask dispensers are available throughout our campuses, but this is not mandatory. Although Quebec Public Health does not anticipate imposing any new health-related restrictions on our activities, we will continue monitoring potential changes in the situation.
As always, we encourage everyone to get vaccinated, and to keep their boosters up to date. Continue to practice good hand hygiene and coughing etiquette—and, most importantly, stay home when sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, follow government instructions as to when to self-isolate. If you test positive for the virus, do not come to campus. If you need academic accommodations, contact your Faculty Student Affairs Office, the Office of the Dean of Students, or the Student Accessibility & Achievement office (formerly the Office of Students with Disabilities) as appropriate.
Let’s remember that different people will have different levels of comfort in group settings, and it’s our collective duty to be kind and understanding to each other.
If you have questions when you arrive on campus, our AskMcGill team will be ready to help! The Ask McGill team is a group of student staff members who are trained to answer your campus questions. Look for our team of trained student navigators at AskMcGill kiosks at the Roddick, McTavish and Milton downtown entrances and at the Macdonald campus, throughout Orientation and the first weeks of school—and throughout the year in different locations across our campuses.
I am looking forward to seeing all of you on our campuses in a few weeks.
Sincerely,
Fabrice Labeau
Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning)