Laurier is making daily decisions and service adjustments to contain the spread of COVID-19. Our goal is to keep the Laurier community informed of these updates in a timely and accurate manner. Visit the wlu.ca/coronavirus website for the latest information.

We’re collecting stories of sharing, helping and kindness submitted by members of university community, and will add more as they are brought to our attention. Please share your stories by emailing cpam@wlu.ca or tag Laurier in your social media posts.

April 8 key updates:

1. Exams start today, April 8: The COVID-19 pandemic has been disruptive, and the past few weeks haven’t been easy, but we are here to support you as you prepare for exams. There’s plenty of academic and study help available on Laurier’s new Remote Learning Student Hub site. This site also offers online mental health and social connection resources available to you. Don’t forget to follow #HappyHawks on social media for messages of inspiration! Good luck, GoldenHawks!
2. Do any of your final exams require Respondus LockDown Browser + Monitor? Review some of the most frequently asked questions to become familiar with the platform before you write your exams. Note: Students should consult their revised course syllabus, MyLearningSpace news feed, or directly with their instructors to determine if exams will be proctored online.
3. eLearning support for online exams. Online final exams begin today, April 8, marking the first time that many faculty and students complete an online, virtually proctored exam. Students have been encouraged by instructors and via MyLS to take the practice quiz online to ensure that all technology is functioning. eLearning is available to provide tech support for students by emailing examquestions@wlu.ca with your name and course code.
4. Updated Security Settings for Zoom: To address security concerns and issues around ‘Zoombombing,’ ICT network security staff have updated the default Zoom preferences to allowing “Laurier Users Only” as attendees, unless otherwise indicated in the meeting settings. This default feature ensures that only individuals with an authenticated Laurier ID (wlu.ca or mylaurier.ca registered students) will be able to enter the scheduled Zoom meeting. To invite users outside the Laurier community, change the Meeting Option advanced settings “Only authenticated users can join” from “Laurier Users Only” to “Sign in to Zoom.” Please note that this change will be effective April 9 at 9 a.m.
5. Introducing Microsoft Office Lens E-Scanner Solution. Microsoft’s Office Lens, a free mobile app for iOS or Android devices, allows the Laurier community to transform pictures of documents to text or quality images. Office Lens trims, enhances, and makes pictures of whiteboards and documents readable to help in the transition to remote working. You can use Office Lens to convert images to PDF, Word and PowerPoint files, and save to OneNote, OneDrive, or your local device. You can even import images that are already on your device using Gallery.