Majority of Ryerson classes to be held online in fall, university announces
CBC News | Posted: May 16, 2020 12:32 AM | Last Updated: May 16, 2020
Campus activities will take place if permitted by health officials, says Ryerson's president
A majority of Ryerson's 2020 fall courses will be delivered online as Toronto continues to grapple with daily new COVID-19 infections, the university announced Friday.
Mohamed Lachemi, the school's president and vice-chancellor, said despite the announcement, the school continues to explore a plan that would see students and faculty gradually return to campus and a mix of online and in-person classes.
"I appreciate that uncertainty is challenging for all of us; we all want to be able to make the best decisions for ourselves and our loved ones, and to do so with confidence," Lachemi said in a written statement issued Friday.
"I can assure you that our fall term will take place."
Lachemi said the school will offer as many campus activities as permitted by health officials, along with "an array of online extra-curricular programming and academic supports."
Lachemi added that the school established a scenario planning group and opportunities group to work through details and challenges of having students return to school.
The groups are exploring plausible scenarios to help navigate any "potential disruptions," Lachemi said, as well as ways of managing COVID-19 on campus.
"Flexibility and resiliency, while ensuring the ongoing safety of our students, faculty and staff, is the heart of our approach," he added.
Toronto sees additional cancellations
The news comes as the City of Toronto announced it has taken additional precautions in its fight against COVID-19.
Mayor John Tory confirmed Friday that all major city-led and city-permitted festivals will be cancelled until at least July 31, and in some cases Aug. 31, and all city-run summer camps will be called off completely this year.
Canada Day events, as well as the 2020 Canadian National Exhibition, have also been cancelled.