Sudbury

Laurentian University returning to in-class learning September

After being one of the province’s first post-secondary schools to shut down at the beginning of the pandemic, Laurentian University says it will be welcoming students back to class this fall.

Laurentian expects to be welcoming students back to in-person learning this fall

Laurentian University has been going though unprecedented restructuring in the wake of declaring financial insolvency on Feb. 1, 2021. The Sudbury, Ont. school is currently under creditor protection. (Yvon Theriault/Radio-Canada)

After being one of the province's first post-secondary schools to shut down at the beginning of the pandemic, Laurentian University says it will be welcoming students back to class this fall.

In a press release Tuesday, the school said it's planning "face-to-face activities and in-person course delivery" beginning in September.

The plan expects to incorporate public health measures already in place in Sudbury, the school said, and will continue to take into account all "potential scenarios" for September 2021.

Robert Hache, the university's president, said:

"We understand that the past year has been very difficult on our students and we want to do everything we can to improve their experience for Fall 2021. Their university experience has been significantly impacted by the pandemic and we want to support them in every way possible in their return to campus."

"We are looking forward to returning to campus," Hache said.

Earlier in May, Hache said that spring enrolment numbers at the school were similar to 2019's enrolment. The school said that approximately 4,300 students were expected to enrol in spring classes. 

Laurentian became insolvent on Feb. 1, and since then, has been undergoing restructuring under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), including cuts to dozens of programs and the termination of approximately 100 faculty.