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.

This COVID-19 digest of important updates will be shared Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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.

March 30 key updates:

1. Laurier will hold spring convocation at a future date: To our Class of 2020, we want to acknowledge the significant disruption in your academic and personal lives caused by the extraordinary COVID-19 global health crisis. We know that as the end of the academic term approaches, you are eager to celebrate and share your remarkable achievements with family, friends, fellow students and mentors. Laurier looks forward to hosting this celebration when it is safe to do so. For this reason, the university has decided to postpone spring convocation ceremonies to a future date. This will allow us to hold convocation in-person and on-campus so that you, our graduating students, can celebrate together with your families, friends and the rest of the Laurier community.
2. We are Here for You: Watch a video message of support from your Deans of Students Kate McCrae Bristol (Waterloo), Adam Lawrence (Brantford) and David McMurray, Vice-President: Student Affairs. The university would also like to understand your experience during the transition to remote learning. Please fill out our survey – your responses will help Laurier to understand where you are feeling supported and identify needs.
3. For answers to frequently asked questions about the option to convert final Winter 2020 course letter grades to a “credit” or “withdraw” format, visit the FAQs on the coronavirus website.
4. Laurier donates personal protective equipment: Every day, multiple times a day, health care professionals at the front line of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic rely on personal protective equipment to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. To help address the anticipated shortage in supplies, Laurier has collected personal protective equipment from faculties and offices in all of our locations. These supplies will be sent to Grand River Hospital and the Brant Community Health System to be distributed to local hospitals and clinics according to the highest need. In total, the university is donating nearly 12,000 N95 masks, 38,500 disposable gloves and 200 isolation gowns, along with surgical masks, plastic visors, goggles, hand sanitizer and test kits.
5. The Career Centre is committed to supporting students during these extraordinary times. New this week – online workshops are scheduled in addition to online appointments about career planning, interview preparation (including practicing video interviews), resumés and cover letters, job search and more. Students/alumni are encouraged to register for workshops and book appointments in Navigator. Any questions can be directed to careercentre@wlu.ca.
6. Time change: A #RingingEndorsement campaign will take place at 7:30 p.m. rather than noon: Martin Luther University College, federated with Laurier, is inviting schools, churches and all other institutions in Waterloo Region with bell towers to ring their bells for a full minute each day to show appreciation for health-care workers and others on the front lines of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Luther has teamed with the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA) and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), for this public demonstration of support.