A dragonfly (Boyeria vinosa - ‘Fawn Darner’) delicately balances on a hemlock varnish shelf mushroom (Ganoderma tsuga)

Celebrating Summer, Anticipating Fall

Alexandra Gillespie

It’s high summer at UTM: the forest canopy is lush, the deer are dozing in the shade, and we are delightfully overrun by children at Camp U of T. That also means that we are just around the corner from back-to-school sales and the start of another academic year. I am looking forward to welcoming students and colleagues to campus in fall 2022, for in-person teaching, discovery and collaboration in this special place.

I expect that you have questions about what the fall term will bring: how are we preparing for changes in the pandemic? What about masks, vaccines, and public health protections? You’ll have just received a memo from Vice-Presidents Kelly Hannah-Moffat and Cheryl Regehr, which shares some answers about U of T’s plans. 

My message amplifies theirs. COVID-19 is still part of our lives. But we’re ready for what’s next, in part because our experience over the past two years has shown us the principles we need to adapt.

At UTM, we will continue to follow the science, and to leverage our strong partnership with Peel Public Health. We will continue to champion evidence-based safety measures and to implement our industry-leading strategy for indoor ventilation. We will continue to communicate openly and to share wellness resources, including MySSP and our updated Employee & Family Assistance Program. And we’ll continue to make space to recognize the challenges of pandemic life and to say thank you for your dedication and collaboration.

For now, I encourage you to take advantage of the summer. Enjoy your courses or work, take a vacation if you can, and above all, try to find time for rest. I look forward to seeing you on our beautiful campus in the fall.

Sincerely,

Alexandra Gillespie
Vice-President and Principal
University of Toronto Mississauga