U of W cancels classes while St. Clair moves to online teaching
The University of Windsor has cancelled all classes until Thursday while it reworks its teaching methods, and St. Clair College will teach the majority of its courses online for the rest of the semester in order to limit the potential spread of the coronavirus.
In a message released Friday night, the university president and vice-chancellor Robert Gordon announced that, after consultation with deans, associate deans and department heads, faculty members would take three days to switch face-to-face delivery of classes to alternate methods, including online teaching.
“The university is asking a great deal of everyone at this time, and these measures will require an enormous effort on the part of faculty and staff across the institution,” Gordon said in the statement. “The university greatly appreciates the commitment and effort of everyone who will be involved in this unprecedented process.”
Beginning Thursday, all courses will resume with their new forms of delivery.
All buildings, residences and libraries will remain open, but the university is cancelling or postponing all non-essential university events, both on- and off-campus.
“Over the past few days, we have heard many concerns from both students and parents,” said Gordon.
“We feel the focus on moving to alternative modes of delivery coupled with cancelling or postponing all non-essential university events is the right thing to do given the growing concerns over COVID -19, and our ongoing commitment to keep members of the campus community healthy and safe.”
St. Clair College president Patti France said students there can expect that measures for online education will be implemented on March 23 — when the students are scheduled to return from their break week.
“As you depart the college on Friday, March 13, it is important that you take all of your textbooks, notebooks, and other learning materials home with you, so that you have all required resources at hand when the online delivery is launched on March 23,” said France.
Specific details about online classes will come on a course-bycourse basis from school chairs and individual instructors. France said students should be ready for messages over the next week informing them on how the plan will be put into practice.
A statement from the college on Friday said the remote learning will continue until the completion of the semester on April 17.
“What we’re trying to do is reduce the population density on our campuses,” said Waseem Habash, St. Clair’s vice-president of academics.
As of Friday, the plan allows for student labs to continue in areas such as skilled trades. Habash said these labs typically have 15 to 25 students — less of a safety issue than large classes.
But the labs will be cancelled if Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and
Universities suspends all face-toface communication.
“Changes to placements will be communicated by your program chair and/or coordinator,” France told students.
For international students, France said the college has been speaking with provincial and federal officials to ensure the academic interruption doesn’t adversely affect the status of visas.
All students are encouraged to check the college’s website at stclaircollege.ca and their emails regularly, “as information is developing quickly and the college’s position may change,” said France.
The college has cancelled its Spring Open House scheduled for March 21.