Dear U of G community members,
Health-care professionals use stress tests to understand how a body responds when it is exposed to a challenge. As a community, we’re being stress tested by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’re all responding to daily challenges by finding new ways of working, studying and living. 
With the loss of regular, in-person communication, we may find ourselves asking if we can still be as productive and if we are still able to make strong connections with our teams, our students and our loved ones. Some days we are asking whether we can keep up with it all. Some days we are asking whether our voices can even be heard as we navigate new technology together!
As we try out these new platforms for communication, I’m learning along with you. I’ve attached below a short video message that I shot from my home office this morning.
Today, in keeping with public health advice on physical distancing, the University has decided to cancel all face-to-face course delivery until Aug. 15. All summer 2020 courses and exams will be delivered through an alternative format. I am disappointed that we won’t be welcoming students to campus this summer, but protecting our students, faculty and staff is still our top priority.
I know that together we can navigate this new terrain. In medicine, a successful stress test means you have a strong heart, and that’s what I know to be true for our Gryphon family – our hearts are strong, and we will overcome these challenges together. Thank you for all that you’re doing.
Warm regards,
Franco Vaccarino
President and Vice-Chancellor
Click the image below to view President Vaccarino’s video greeting for Wednesday, April 1.
[transcript]
Daily Updates – April 1, 2020
Summer Semester Course Delivery
The University of Guelph continues to closely monitor the development of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that members of the U of G community are concerned, and we want to assure everyone that we take this situation very seriously and are doing everything we can to ensure the health and safety of our campus community. It is obvious that physical distancing is key to reducing the spread of this disease.
We are announcing major decisions that will affect students, faculty and staff at all three of our campuses. We believe this is best for our University community.
At this point in time, all face-to-face course delivery will be cancelled until Aug. 15, 2020. Undergraduate, graduate and associate diploma courses planned in this delivery mode will proceed only in an alternative format. Final exams for the summer semester will also be conducted in a modified format.
Support will be offered to faculty and instructors to help deliver courses in alternative formats. Faculty members and instructors will, of course, have decision-making discretion and options and are encouraged to communicate with their deans and department chairs regarding this process.
We extend personal thanks to our faculty, staff and students for your patience, cooperation and understanding during this unprecedented challenge.
Take a Yoga Break at Home
Join U of G community members to inhale courage and exhale fear with a live, online classical yoga and meditation class. Join the Zoom meeting at noon on April 2. No experience is required.
The University of Guelph’s COVID-19 website is your best source of information about the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.