This update is provided for archival purposes only.
Public Health guidance and University of Waterloo operations may have changed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our COVID-19 frequently asked questions.
This message updates the guidance issued on April 7, 2020 (and updated on September 2, 2020) concerning the actions you can take if someone tells you that that they believe they are suffering from COVID-19.
There has been an increased volume of COVID-19 related phishing emails being sent to members of the University. These phishing attacks are expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Please be vigilant and read emails carefully before responding.
We write in hope of clarifying matters with respect to synchronous vs. asynchronous instruction for remote learning.
During terms where remote instruction is required, our students will be in many time zones, in unpredictable living circumstances, and often with unreliable access to the internet. This is obviously problematic, for instance, for a student studying from home in China, with a 12 hour time zone difference and where it often takes four hours to download a one hour video. These challenges are not limited to international students; reliable internet is also a problem in rural areas in Canada.
The Government of Ontario has strengthened the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act regulations over the past two weeks. To follow provincial emergency orders instructing the closure non-essential businesses, we have now closed all academic buildings previously open to students.
With Spring term nearly upon us and the requirement to teach all courses remotely, instructors can now access teaching-related help from the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Centre for Extended Learning (CEL), Instructional Technologies and Media Services (IST-ITMS), and the Library through centralized systems.
