多伦多大学2021年冬季开学日期重要调整

英文原文：

november 20, 2020

to all members of the university of toronto community:

i am writing to let you know about a very important change in the start date for winter term classes in january – a change that will affect most members of the university community.

it’s prompted by the fact that we’ve all been under an extraordinary amount of stress for months now, because of the burdens imposed by the covid-19 pandemic. the entire leadership team across our three campuses cares deeply about the wellness of each and every one of you. we want to make sure that you’re able to rest and recharge, and to make the most of the upcoming holiday break.

to that end, we have decided the following:

• for first-entry undergraduate divisions, classes for the winter term will begin on monday, january 11, a week later than originally planned.

• for graduate and professional programs, the start date for winter term classes will vary. in some programs, the start date will shift to monday, january 11. however, in other programs it will be necessary to keep to the original schedule and resume classes on monday, january 4 – this is to ensure that students in these programs can complete their courses in a timely manner as planned.

• the university will be officially closed as of december 23, and will reopen on january 4 as originally planned. the shift of the start date for classes involves enormous administrative complexities, meaning that our staff-appointed employees will still be needed to return to work on monday, january 4. to support their wellness, we are granting these employees three additional paid days off, to be taken as a block or individually, with approval from their managers as per standard procedures, anytime between today and august 31, 2021.

• for more details relevant to your particular circumstances, information for students will be available later today through the utogether website. faculty members, librarians and staff members should consult the human resources & equity site.

i would like to take this opportunity to offer a word of encouragement to all of you. first, to our students: you deserve to be very proud of your accomplishments in this uniquely challenging year. we appreciate how difficult it has been. staff and faculty members across the university have been working very hard to provide the best possible learning environment and the best possible experience in all aspects of student life under the current circumstances. we are also continuing to implement the redesign of student mental health services that we announced this past january. while we have made considerable progress on that front, the work is continuing, and completing the full redesign remains a top priority. we are committed to doing everything we can to support your wellness and academic success, as we make our way together through this historic time.

to our faculty members, librarians, teaching assistants, administrative staff, tradespeople, and student services providers: you have gone above and beyond to ensure that the university of toronto continues to fulfill its academic mission. as a result, we are delivering a high-quality online learning experience. our research and innovation output remains robust. we are making many important contributions to the fight against the pandemic, locally, nationally and globally. and in all our operations, we are protecting the health and safety of the u of t community. at the same time, many of us have had to meet major new demands at home, from managing the schooling needs of our children to caring for our elderly parents. others among us are experiencing isolation and mental health challenges caused or exacerbated by the pandemic. on behalf of the university’s entire senior leadership team, i want to say that your dedication is noticed and very much appreciated.

as we continue through this challenging time, let’s all continue to be mindful of those around us, as well as ourselves. if we’re concerned that someone may be struggling, let’s ask how they’re doing and listen to what they have to say. as we have seen in so many ways throughout the year, kindness and empathy can be incredibly powerful, even transformative. and if we ourselves are struggling, let’s not hesitate to reach out and ask for help. ﹙links to the various services available through the university are provided below.﹚

the pandemic will be with us for some time, and we will continue to face periods of heightened stress and discouragement. but the u of t community has shown itself to be wonderfully adaptable and resilient. the spirit of dedication and collaboration that has brought us this far will continue to carry us forward. and while we appreciate the enormous challenges in developing and delivering a safe and effective covid-19 vaccine, we can nonetheless take heart in the very promising recent news on that crucial front.

thank you all for your many contributions and your inspiring example. i wish you a safe, healthy and successful remainder to the term.

sincerely,

meric s. gertler
president

2020年11月20日

多伦多大学社区的所有成员：


我写这封信是想让你知道一月份冬季学期课程开始日期的一个非常重要的变化，这一变化将影响到大学界的大多数成员。


这是由于covid-19流感大流行带来的负担，我们几个月来都承受着巨大的压力。我们三个校区的整个领导团队都非常关心你们每个人的健康。我们希望确保您能够休息和充电，并充分利用即将到来的假期。


为此，我们决定：


对于第一批入学的本科生，冬季学期的课程将于1月11日星期一开始，比原计划晚了一周。

对于研究生和专业课程，冬季学期课程的开始日期将有所不同。在一些项目中，开始日期将改为1月11日星期一。但是，在其他课程中，有必要保持原来的课程表，并在1月4日星期一继续上课，这是为了确保这些课程的学生能够按照计划及时完成课程。

该校将于12月23日正式停课，并将按原计划于1月4日重新开学。课程开始日期的改变涉及到巨大的管理复杂性，这意味着我们由员工任命的员工仍需要在1月4日（星期一）返回工作岗位。为了保障员工的健康，我们将在今天至2021年8月31日期间的任何时间，根据标准程序，经其经理批准，我们将给予这些员工三天额外的带薪休假，作为一个整体或单独休假。

今天晚些时候，我们将通过utogether网站为学生提供更多信息。教职员工、图书管理员和员工应咨询人力资源与权益网站。

我想借此机会向各位表示鼓励。首先，对我们的学生们：在这充满挑战的一年里，你们应该为自己的成就感到骄傲。我们理解这是多么困难。在目前的情况下，全校师生都在努力为学生提供最好的学习环境和最好的体验。我们还在继续实施今年1月宣布的学生心理健康服务的重新设计。虽然我们在这方面取得了相当大的进展，但这项工作仍在继续，完成全面重新设计仍然是当务之急。我们致力于尽我们所能支持您的健康和学业成功，因为我们一起走过了这段历史性的时期。


感谢我们的教职员工、图书管理员、助教、行政人员、商人和学生服务提供商：你们已经超越一切，确保多伦多大学继续履行其学术使命。因此，我们提供高质量的在线学习体验。我们的研究和创新成果仍然强劲。我们正在为地方、国家和全球防治这一流行病的斗争作出许多重要贡献。在我们所有的行动中，我们都在保护u of t社区的健康和安全。与此同时，我们中的许多人不得不在家里满足新的需求，从管理孩子的上学需求到照顾年迈的父母。我们中的其他人正经历着这种流行病造成或加剧的孤立和心理健康挑战。我谨代表学校全体高层领导班子，对你们的奉献精神表示关注和高度赞赏。


在我们继续度过这段充满挑战的时刻时，让我们继续关注身边的人，以及我们自己。如果我们担心有人可能在挣扎，让我们问问他们现在怎么样，听听他们说些什么。正如我们在这一年中从很多方面看到的，善良和同理心可以是难以置信的强大，甚至可以带来变革。如果我们自己也在挣扎，让我们毫不犹豫地伸出援手寻求帮助。（以下提供了大学提供的各种服务的链接。）


这一流行病将伴随我们一段时间，我们将继续面临更大的压力和沮丧的时期。但是u of t社区已经证明了自己的适应性和弹性。把我们带到这一步的献身精神和协作精神将继续推动我们前进。虽然我们认识到在开发和提供安全有效的covid-19疫苗方面面临的巨大挑战，但我们仍然可以对这一关键领域最近非常有希望的消息感到振奋。


感谢你们所有人的贡献和你们鼓舞人心的榜样。我祝你平安.

更多问题欢迎微聊我。