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June 19, 2020

Good morning everybody,

It鈥檚 an understatement that the past three months have been challenging. Our entire institution and indeed our whole lives have been disrupted. I want to offer sincere thanks to everyone for a great year under challenging circumstances. We stayed true to our values, rallied together, and we kept going.

Without your commitment, creativity and hard work, it would not have been possible to pivot with flexibility and compassion to complete the winter term, to quickly offer a fantastic summer term online, and to make appropriate plans towards a successful fall. THANK YOU!

Amidst the pandemic, we achieved significant successes throughout 2019-20, notably another banner year for research – $80 million in research funding, a two-year increase of 50 per cent! Though lots remains to be done, we have made important progress towards , , , and , as well as . We also completed a new , deeply based in our values, that lays out our shared aspirations and that will guide us into a successful future.

Today would have been Appreciation Day – such a special day for our community – and I truly regret that we cannot picnic in the park as we usually do. It was a real pleasure to see many of you at virtual appreciation events, faculty boards, team meetings, coffee hours, townhalls, etc. Many thanks for your thoughtful questions and comments.

In appreciation and gratitude for everything you do everyday for 杏吧原创, July 2 and 3 will be Appreciation Day Holidays (days off!) for faculty and staff. Note that summer courses scheduled on these days as well as fall registration will be proceeding as planned. Employees who need to work on these days to ensure our continued operations should discuss alternative dates with their managers. Employees who have already booked these days as holidays will not need to record them as annual leave.

It goes without saying that I also encourage everyone to take significant time off this summer as we all need to recharge. I personally look forward to a quiet staycation in July. The academic year ahead will be challenging as well, and it is essential that we all take a break.

As always, any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Have a great weekend everyone and I look forward to virtually celebrating the Class of 2020 with you next week!

Stay safe and well,

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

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June 10, 2020

Good morning everybody,

It鈥檚 been two weeks since George Floyd was killed, and like millions of people worldwide I am still haunted by the horrible scene. In addition to our , I want to start my message today by denouncing anti-Black racism and racism in all its ugly forms. Racism is an old and deadly disease that can only be fought with courage, solidarity, empathy, and most importantly a willingness to examine and reform the structures and practices that inhibit the full potential and participation of any member of society. 杏吧原创 is a diverse community that strives for inclusion, but we are part of the broader world and in no way immune from these issues and challenges.

We have made , but there is no question that much remains to be done. You might have seen that earlier this week, the Provost and I announced to give additional visibility and impact to our equity, anti-racism, and Indigenous initiatives. This is an important step for our community but the burden of change is on each and every one of us. It is our shared responsibility to always seek to do better, and to be part of the solution.

The new Equity and Inclusive Communities Advisory Group has started its work towards identifying gaps and ensuring the full strategic integration of equity, diversity and inclusion 鈥� including anti-racism 鈥� into the work of the university. The committee was established in April and held its first meeting on May 26, on the eve of George Floyd鈥檚 murder. I am proud to sit at the table as an ex-officio member and take this opportunity to thank all the members of the group for their commitment and efforts. The advice and guidance of the committee will ensure that our response is both strategic in this important moment, and sustained over the long term.

Indeed as we look to the future, living together in a diverse and complex world will be one of the greatest challenges we face as we strive for both individual wellness and sustainability of our planet. Our , deeply anchored in our history and our values, acknowledges 鈥渁 pervasive need for greater understanding and commitments to accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion,鈥� and calls upon the campus community to 鈥渨ork together in ways that also demonstrate our commitment to equity and inclusion.鈥� Let鈥檚 not accept the status quo but challenge ourselves – as it was expressed to me recently – to take serious, ambitious strides towards an anti-racist future.

For those who wish to access resources and other supports to engage the issues, you may reach Equity and Inclusive Communities through our Senior Advisor on Human Rights and Equity, Ikram Jama, at Ikram.Jama@carleton.ca.

As we struggle with racism, we of course continue to face the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, including the growing awareness of the disproportionate impacts of the virus on equity-seeking groups, notably Racialized, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ persons. As Ontario cautiously moves into of reopening on Friday, I continue to take pride in our community鈥檚 ability to adapt, with flexibility and compassion, to this unsettling and immensely disruptive situation. Notably, our researchers have quickly focused their efforts on finding solutions to the challenges of the public health crisis, and I would like to offer sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in the 59 research projects that were funded as part of the .

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

In closing, these are difficult times and it is normal and understandable that we at times experience increased feelings of sadness, anger and anxiety. We are all humans and there are no superheroes. Please make sure to plan for some time off this summer, and reach out if you need help. No one has to suffer alone.

I hope that we can all take some time to connect in the next two weeks as we virtually celebrate and virtually celebrate the Class of 2020. As always, thank you for all that each of you is doing to make 杏吧原创 such an engaged and exceptional community.

Stay safe everyone,

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

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May 28, 2020

Good morning everyone,

I can鈥檛 quite believe May is already almost over. As we enter what will be an unusual summer, I would like to encourage everyone to plan for some time off. A significant period of rest and recuperation is absolutely essential for our individual mental health, and for the continued shared wellbeing and success of our community. This is always true, but especially so this year, and I personally plan to enjoy a few weeks of 鈥渟taycation鈥� in July. 

Once again, I would like to encourage students who have not been able to find summer employment to apply for the , part of the $9-billion aid package for students recently announced by the federal government. If there are delays in accessing these funds, 杏吧原创 continues to provide assistance through the 杏吧原创 Student Emergency Fund.

Work has started in earnest on implementing the 10 recommendations of the recent report of the 杏吧原创 University Scenario Planning (CUSP) group. We have been able to confirm, for both undergraduate and graduate students, that all scheduled courses will be online in the fall. The full timetable will be available June 8 in anticipation of registration starting June 23. We are also actively preparing to partially reopen our physical spaces and resume some on-campus activities, notably research, as it progressively becomes safe to do so over the coming months.

I am grateful to all course instructors and instructional designers who are already putting significant thought and efforts into preparing outstanding online courses and an inclusive learning environment for the fall. Likewise, many thanks to units who have transitioned their excellent support services online so that our students can continue to access quality online academic advising, virtual mental health counselling and support, creative virtual social spaces and activities, and more. 

Among many success stories in transitioning online, our superb , under the leadership of our , has devised many creative and powerful ways to offer . Notably, 杏吧原创 is now a member of , a digital repository of millions of books, serials, and other materials from research institutions and libraries around the world. Our faculty, staff and students can now access digitized copies of over six million public-domain works and, for a limited time, digitized copies of almost 500,000 works from 杏吧原创鈥檚 print collection.

As you know, we had to to a later time. I would like to reiterate that this is a postponement and not a cancellation, and we remain committed to providing our students with the well-deserved opportunity to walk across the stage in a future Convocation ceremony. In the meantime, we will be virtually celebrating the success of our graduates in a timely way – as soon as Senate approves the June graduation list on June 19 – and more information will be provided shortly.

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca. 

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

As we take steps to prepare for the 2020-21 academic year, we should not forget to celebrate the success we have enjoyed this year. It has been a great year and it should not be reduced, in our collective memories, to the current public health crisis.

Among other achievements, we have reached a new high in research funding, a proxy of research excellence and impact, with $81.7 million in 2019. This represents a spectacular two-year compounded increase of 50 per cent and we can all take pride. Let me also highlight our continued progress in , , and of course Indigenous initiatives 鈥� embodied by the recently released (Learning Together) report.

Please have a look at the brand new 杏吧原创 University President鈥檚 Report 2020 that attempts to capture some of the highlights of a memorable year. With many thanks to each and every member of our community for everything you do. You make 杏吧原创 great!

Stay safe everyone, and have a wonderful day,

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor 

The post As We Plan Ahead, Let鈥檚 Not Forget to Celebrate Success appeared first on The President and Vice-Chancellor.

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May 19, 2020

Good morning everyone,

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend and that you were all able to relax a bit after two very challenging months.

As you know, today marks the beginning of the first stage of Ontario鈥檚 . The main impact for our sector, as can be seen in the , is the restart of research and development in a number of fields, notably in science and engineering. Accordingly, we are ready to safely start to broaden the scope of our on-campus research activities, in line with principles and procedures developed by our Vice-President (Research) Rafik Goubran and our great decanal team.

The past few days also brought good news for our students. Since Friday, May 15, students have been able to apply for the , part of the $9-billion aid package for students recently announced by the federal government. In addition, we received who can now begin their classes online from abroad in fall 2020 and complete up to 50 per cent of their program via distance learning without negatively affecting their eligibility for the post-graduation work permit program.

Work has started in earnest on implementing the 10 recommendations of the recent report of the 杏吧原创 University Scenario Planning (CUSP) group. As you know, the first guiding principle in our planning is to place the health and wellbeing of students, staff, faculty, and the broader community above all other considerations. As such, we are preparing for a fall that will be mostly online, and we have already guaranteed to our incoming students that all first-year courses will be online. Registration starts June 23, and returning students starting to make their plans for the fall 鈥� with the exception of graduate students needing access to specialized research facilities 鈥� can also expect that their courses will be online.

One important recommendation, in line with a recent message from the Provost and AVP Teaching and Learning, is to further enhance technological and pedagogical support for course instructors. I would ask all course instructors to start early in preparing courses for the fall in order to spread demands on our support staff in Teaching and Learning Services, as well as within faculties and departments, over a longer period of time.

We are also putting everything in place to support student success in these exceptional circumstances. For example, we can assure all students that 杏吧原创 will provide:

• Outstanding online courses from award-winning faculty and instructors
• Quality online academic advising
• Easy-to-access virtual mental health counselling and support
• Online peer-to-peer mentorship programs
• Creative virtual social spaces and activities for students to help combat isolation
• An inclusive learning environment that can be accessed from anywhere in the world

Even with courses online, many students will still want to live in residence. We are working closely with Ottawa Public Health to adapt our spaces in residence and ensure that living on campus will be safe and will remain an exceptional experience for students. The steps being taken include, but are not limited to, single room spaces in traditional- and suite-style residences, increased cleaning practices in communal areas, support for those requiring isolation before or during their time in residence, and decreased density in all areas.

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

In closing, It was a very special moment last week when, after 18 months of collaborative efforts, we released the powerful and beautiful (Learning Together) Indigenous Strategy. This important document, and its 41 Calls to Action, will guide our university towards positive long-term change and I wish to offer sincere thanks to everyone who contributed. Miigwetch, Nia:wen, Kischii marsii!

I know that 碍颈苍补虁尘补虁驳补飞颈苍 will make a difference not only for Indigenous Peoples, but for all of us. As Elder Barbara Dumont-Hill says in her opening words: 鈥湴辈圆固�尘补虁驳补飞颈苍 is about the future. Learning in the Indigenous way, the humility of seeking and sharing knowledge of all of our gifts will ensure that the next seven generations will benefit. We are all connected, and when we can learn together with open minds and open hearts, the outlook will be brighter.鈥�

We are moving forward with a bright outlook. Stay safe everyone, and have a great day,

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

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May 12, 2020

Good morning everyone,

I hope that this finds you well as we settle into our summer term and look forward to the progressive lifting of the current emergency restrictions in Ontario, in accordance with the provincial government鈥檚 . As always, I urge everyone to put safety and wellness first, and to carefully follow social/physical distancing measures as you go out for food and supplies, or maybe for a bit of fresh air.

As Ontario slowly and progressively reopens, we have to carefully consider what this means for 杏吧原创 鈥� both for our summer activities and in our planning for the fall semester. An important step in this process is the release, as of yesterday, of the report of the 杏吧原创 University Scenario Planning (CUSP) group. It outlines both guiding principles and recommendations that will help us move forward as the current public health crisis continues to unfold. The report is clear and concise, and I encourage everyone to read it.

The nine guiding principles articulated in the report are designed to inform a values-based decision-making process. As you will see, the first principle is to place the health and wellbeing of students, staff, faculty, and the broader community above all other considerations. Other principles directly speak to the centrality of our academic mission, the needs of our students, equity across student groups, and the need for decisions that are both timely and carefully considered.

The 10 recommendations that close the report are anchored in a careful analysis of epidemiological evidence, public health restrictions, the university context, and an exhaustive review of possible models and scenarios for delivering the fall semester. I would like to thank the members of the planning group for this important work, and for taking the time to consult key stakeholders as an integral part of this process. CUSP remains active and consultations will continue as the situation evolves. As such, the recommendations are neither definitive nor final, as we need to maintain flexibility in this fast-changing environment.

In line with recent signals from the provincial government, the report anticipates that over the course of the summer, some in-person activity 鈥� notably in certain research labs, the library, and selected student services 鈥� will start to progressively resume on campus. It goes without saying that our plan to slowly reopen the campus, in phased stages, will place the health and wellbeing of our community above all other considerations.

The report is also cautious with regards to the fall, and the very first recommendation clearly indicates that a 鈥渘ormal鈥� fall is extremely unlikely. It reads: 鈥淲hile it might be possible to deliver some academic programming on campus by September, given the uncertainty regarding the course of the pandemic, we recommend that 杏吧原创 intensively prepare for the likelihood that courses and programs for Fall 2020 will be delivered online.鈥� The priority for potential on-campus programming – if deemed safe – will be research-based and experiential learning that cannot be achieved remotely. The paragraph that follows adds: 鈥淏eing prepared to deliver our programs online protects the health of our community, ensures continuity of our programs and fosters equity for all students, regardless of current residency.鈥�

As you will see, the report also offers a number of more specific recommendations, including prioritizing student access to technology; continuing to adapt residences to meet social distancing requirements and thinking about creative online social spaces for students. One important recommendation, in line with a recent message from the Provost and AVP Teaching and Learning, is to further enhance technological and pedagogical support for course instructors.

We are not alone in making plans in this direction and you might have seen recent announcements by McGill, UBC, Simon Fraser, etc. Indeed it is increasingly understood across the sector that, to quote a May 8, 2020 message from University of Montreal Rector Guy Breton: 鈥淎lmost all Canadian and American Universities are starting to prepare for a Fall that will be mostly online.鈥�

I am absolutely confident that at 杏吧原创 we have the talent, expertise and tools to continue to adapt to circumstances, and to offer an outstanding fall semester to all our students. I also hold as self-evident that 杏吧原创 鈥� founded in the chaos of the Second World War 鈥� has the resilience, creative mindset, ethos of service, and institutional flexibility to emerge from the current crisis stronger and more relevant than ever.

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

I remain incredibly impressed by our community鈥檚 ability to adapt and to make our way through this extended public health crisis. We are all in this together, and I am thankful for everything you do for our community.

Stay safe everyone, and have a great day,

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

The post Guiding Principles and Recommendations for the Fall appeared first on The President and Vice-Chancellor.

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May 4, 2020

Good morning everybody,

Let me first reiterate my most sincere congratulations to all students upon completing the winter term and the 2019-20 academic year, with special kudos to the 5,000+ students who, pending Senate鈥檚 confirmation, are now proud 杏吧原创 graduates. In the same vein, sincere congratulations and thanks to our teaching staff and support units for everything you have done to successfully complete our academic year. It has been inspiring to see our community come together and rally to cross the finish line!

Our summer semester starts today and we can take pride that we have transferred such an incredible number and diversity of quality courses to an online environment. As I write, over 11,000 students 鈥� about the same as last year 鈥� have registered for one or several courses, and registrations are ongoing for both the early (May-June) and late (July-August) summer sessions.

I would like to encourage our students to take full advantage of the various and, in particular, the Canada Emergency Student Benefit program that was passed by Canada鈥檚 Senate last Friday as part of Bill C-15. 杏吧原创 also continues to support students in immediate need through the 杏吧原创 Student Emergency Fund. Many thanks to everyone who has contributed through .

Over the past week, there has been clear indications that Ontario is preparing to slowly and progressively lift confinement measures. A week ago, the premier released A and indeed, as of today, the under strict safety guidelines. I was very pleased that this includes several construction projects in the public sector and that work on our beautiful will resume.

As sectors of the economy reopen, we anticipate that it will become possible to slowly return to campus, in progressive stages. Among our first priorities will be to resume some research activities under social distancing protocols. Our and her team have a plan to progressively reopen the library when the time is right. In making all these decisions, we will continue to carefully follow government regulations and the guidelines of public health authorities.

Recently, I wrote about , and I have since updated both the Senate and the Board of Governors on these efforts. We are in the process of engaging important stakeholder groups in discussion and we are confident that we will soon be in a position to make recommendations as to the best path forward.

I want to explicitly state that our planning process is guided by the values that define our great institution. In these unsettling times, the safety and wellbeing of our community remains our top priority. We must also reaffirm our commitment to equity and to fairness. Finally, it goes without saying that at all times we will remain true to our commitment to academic and research excellence, and to the highest standards of pedagogy and academic integrity.

Finally, looking towards a great fall semester, we are making sure that our new students have all the information they need for a successful start to their 杏吧原创 journey. See, for example, this brilliant developed by our innovative recruitment team to connect with our future Ravens over the month of May.

Any questions you may have that are not answered by 杏吧原创鈥檚 and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

I wish everyone a great summer term! And please stay tuned for more information about the fall, coming soon.

Have a good day and stay safe,

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

The post Summer Term Begins as We Plan for the Fall appeared first on The President and Vice-Chancellor.

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April 23, 2020

Good morning everybody,

I have good news to share. Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the Canadian government’s plan to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assistance for students in these difficult times has been a top priority for the higher education sector, and the government has delivered in a big way with – in addition to previous announcements by the and the . Higher education expert estimates that this quadruples the normal amount of non-repayable need-based grants given out by the government to students, and he adds that this represents the most generous student assistance package in the world at this time.

I was especially heartened to hear the prime minister explicitly recognize that the future of our country is in the hands of young people pursuing their dreams and planning for their futures. This is what we do here at 杏吧原创 鈥� we work with students so that their immense potential becomes fully realized for the greater good. Those of us who watched the prime minister make the were thrilled to hear a direct reference to 杏吧原创! , a recent engineering graduate from 杏吧原创, who is creating reusable face shields for front-line workers using 3-D printers at home. We are so proud of Felix and all the other 杏吧原创 students and alumni who, through these difficult times, are making a difference in creative ways.

One of the major initiatives announced yesterday is the new which is designed to provide immediate assistance for students who can’t find summer employment due to the current public health crisis. The May to August benefit will normally provide $1,250 a month, but individuals who have a disability or a dependent will receive an extra $500 a month. Students can earn up to $1,000 per month through work and still be eligible. Eligible recipients include current post-secondary students, those who graduated in December 2019 or after, and those heading to post-secondary institutions in the fall.

In addition, the government plans to create 76,000 new summer jobs, further to its regular summer jobs program, in sectors that need an extra hand or are responding to COVID-19, including health, agriculture, food processing, transportation and retail. Students helping to fight COVID-19 on a volunteer basis will be eligible for $1,000 to $5,000 this summer, depending on hours, through the new . The government will also provide more targeted support – $75.2 million – to Indigenous students.

To support graduate students and student researchers, the government will provide $291.6 million to extend expiring federal graduate research scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships by three or four months and supplement existing federal research grants so that students can continue their work.

Students will also be able to access additional loans and grants through the Canada Student Loans Program. Low-income grants will double to $6,000 per academic year, weekly maximum student loan levels will increase to $350 from $210, and student and spousal contribution limits will be removed to reflect the loss of personal and family income during the pandemic.

Finally, yesterday Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced new temporary rule changes to facilitate . International students are normally limited to working a maximum of 20 hours per week while classes are in session. This rule will be waived to enable international students who are already in Canada to contribute to essential services.

This suite of initiatives will provide much needed support for students during these challenging times. It goes without saying that here on campus, our own continue.

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

Looking to the future, summer registrations are in full swing in anticipation of the summer term starting on May 4. And as I wrote earlier this week, like universities across the country and indeed around the world, we are , with more information to come soon.

Have a good day and stay safe,

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

The post Government Comes Through for University Students appeared first on The President and Vice-Chancellor.

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April 21, 2020

Good morning everybody,

I hope that this finds you well as we complete final exams for the winter term and our 2019-2020 academic year. I want to offer my most sincere congratulations to our 5,000+ graduating students now in the process of taking their very last exams. Though Convocation is postponed, know that we are proud of you and your achievements, and that we will celebrate with you at the first opportunity.

Registration for our summer semester opened on April 16 and, already, over 9,000 students have signed up for one or multiple courses. We can all take pride that we were able to offer such a diverse and high-quality slate of online courses to give students the opportunity to advance their studies over the summer. Many thanks to our exceptional teaching staff in all five faculties, and to key units supporting our summer success, notably decanal and departmental offices, Information Technology Services, the Registrar鈥檚 Office, Business Office, Scheduling and Examination Services, Teaching and Learning Services, etc. All units deserve immense credit for moving operations online so successfully and this on this topic is definitely worth the read!

Our next challenge is to prepare for fall 2020. I am confident that at 杏吧原创 we have the talent and tools to continue to adapt to circumstances, and to offer an outstanding semester to all our students. In Ontario, the current state of emergency has been , but it appears that we have now . It is likely that provincial and federal public health officials will soon follow the models of , and that confinement measures will start to be partially and progressively lifted. Almost certainly, however, the very last measures to be lifted will be those around assembly in large groups and restrictions on international travel, which would continue to pose challenges for post-secondary institutions.

In the face of uncertainty, we must plan with creativity and flexibility for a broad array of scenarios. The Provost and I have asked Deputy Provost (Academic Operations and Planning), Lorraine Dyke, to lead a small team of academic and operations experts to start defining what these scenarios could be, and how to best prepare. An integral part of this work will involve consulting with key stakeholder groups on campus, and sharing information with other institutions, as well as provincial and national bodies. The first phase of this work began last week and will unfold into May. I expect that by mid-May we will be in a position to narrow the range of scenarios and report to Senate, the Board of Governors and the broader community.

While it is too early to speculate about what September will look like exactly, it is difficult to imagine a return to full international mobility, and a complete lifting of physical distancing measures that would allow the return of large gatherings in confined spaces. In these matters, we will carefully follow the guidelines of public health authorities and government regulations. As such, I would encourage deans and department heads to engage their units in discussions on how to best use digital technologies as alternatives to large classes, and as important options for international students who may be delayed in returning to Canada.

As we look to the fall, it is essential that we consider every angle 鈥� pedagogy, research, academic regulations, support services, etc. With the right plans and the right execution, we will maximize the continuity of our operations, academic excellence and student success. It goes without saying that in doing so the safety of students, faculty and staff will be our first priority. Social distancing will almost certainly remain part of our reality, in one form or another, and we will soon engage unit heads in how to start preparing our physical spaces in anticipation of an eventual progressive return to campus.

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

I was recently reminded that it is especially in difficult times that great institutions separate themselves from the pack. I can imagine a not too distant future when the crisis is behind us, and with a new strategic plan in place we usher in a new era of tremendous opportunities and success for 杏吧原创.

Thanks as always for taking the time to read this message and for your continued collective calm, creativity and care throughout this crisis.

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

The post Planning for the Fall appeared first on The President and Vice-Chancellor.

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April 9, 2020

Good morning everybody,

I hope this finds you well as we head into the long weekend.

We have collectively reached an important milestone this week, and I would like to start by offering my warmest congratulations to our faculty and students upon successfully completing course work for the winter 2020 term. Given the circumstances, that is a remarkable accomplishment. The full winter exam schedule has been posted in anticipation of final assessments starting next week, and I wish all students the best of luck!

Looking forward, our full summer schedule has been posted on 杏吧原创 Central, and registration will open on April 16. I am really amazed to see the number and diversity of courses offered, and I want to thank all the faculty members and contract instructors who are in the process of developing engaging online content to ensure a high-quality experience for all students.

There is a significant economic impact to the current public health crisis and one consequence, as we head into the summer, is that many students are worried about finding employment. Yesterday the prime minister announced that are expected to create 70,000 jobs for people aged 15 to 30. In addition, you will have seen a number of emergency assistance programs from both the , and I strongly encourage our students to take advantage of these programs, if applicable.

At 杏吧原创, we have also put in place . Notably, we have made and continue to make emergency funding available to both graduate and undergraduate students. In addition, we have delayed a number of financial deadlines, waived late fee penalties, suspended interest on outstanding balances, and reimbursed on a pro-rated basis or waived a number of ancillary fees for the winter and summer terms.

Many people are asking: How can I help? One option is to contribute to the , primarily intended for students who have lost their jobs and are struggling with basic living expenses. If you are interested in supporting this effort, and are in a position to do so, you can make a donation on our . The university will match all gifts on a one-to-one basis and these funds will be made available immediately to students in need.

Finally, I think you will agree that especially in these unsettling times, we need to highlight inspiring stories of community engagement and compassion. I see so many great initiatives in the 杏吧原创 community, and I am sure there are many more happening. Please help us share these great stories by bringing them to our attention through the Share Kindness initiative on our .

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

The university is closed for the Good Friday statutory holiday, but open on Easter Monday, as it normally is. As always, if you are required to work on Easter Monday, you will receive an alternate day off with pay.

Have a great long weekend everyone!

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

The post Moving towards Exams and the Summer Term appeared first on The President and Vice-Chancellor.

Visit 杏吧原创鈥檚 .

April 3, 2020

Good morning everybody,

March is a tough month at the best of times, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who experienced a measure of relief when we moved into April earlier this week. The pace of change in the last three weeks has been unprecedented, but we are coming through as a community. We are not out of the woods 鈥� far from it 鈥� but we can take a moment to acknowledge the collective resilience and adaptability we have shown in the face of these unsettling times.

We are , with the vast majority of us working and studying remotely. We have put in place flexible and compassionate and for our students. We have taken steps to . We successfully held our Senate meeting remotely. We have . And in collaboration with our contract instructors and faculty members, we have a for our students.

Through it all, we found ways to advance our academic mission, introduce new talent to 杏吧原创 and, most importantly, continue to be a force for good in our community. Today, as we head into the weekend and the end of term, I want to focus on these good news stories.

This week we welcomed two fantastic new leaders to our community. starting Oct. 1, 2020. .

On the heels of a , our researchers continue to show remarkable success in attracting funding, a proxy for research quality and impact. Many good news stories remain under embargo, but today we can offer sincere congratulations to , including Prof. Murray Richardson, who is working in Iqaluit, Nunavut to improve photogrammetry methods for studying Arctic tundra watersheds.

And among so many initiatives to help out in our community, I note that our Campus Safety Services team has co-ordinated not , but for frontline healthcare workers at Ottawa hospitals. Our students to people without homes in our city. Prof. . Our experts, like Prof. Tim Pychyl, are also offering . And as I write this – more details to come – I hear our Chemistry Department is making hand sanitizer to share with hospitals and long-term care facilities!

As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, we must continue to connect virtually and look out for each other. Our has started to collect inspirational 杏吧原创 stories of kindness and compassion, and we invite everyone to send examples of our community 鈥� our colleagues, students, alumni, and friends 鈥� helping one other, to hubforgood@carleton.ca. Together, let’s talk about the people who are going out of their way to help make these unsettling times a little easier.

Any questions you may have that are not answered by and its should be forwarded to covidinfo@carleton.ca.

Please ensure that the information you read and share online comes from credible sources like , the or the , as the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to the health and safety of our community.

I hope April brings better weather, and that we all soon get to enjoy the healing touch of a warm spring day. Have a good weekend everybody!

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor

The post Message from the President: Assorted Good News As We Head into the Weekend appeared first on The President and Vice-Chancellor.