Hi everyone. Joanne MacLean here, President of UFV.
I’m talking to you through video today because this is the safest way for us to connect during COVID-19 and these unprecedented times.
First, I want to tell you how proud I am of the response, leadership, and collective effort of UFV faculty and staff during this global health crisis.
I hope that you will accept my profound thanks for all that you’ve been doing, for pulling together and supporting each other to do the best you can for our students and for each other.
Please indulge me as I make a few specific thank-you’s.
Thank you to UFV faculty who have shown remarkable dedication and agility in the most difficult situation we’ve ever faced as a university. Without complaint, you have risen to the challenge of educating students through remote learning options. I appreciate your efforts and ingenuity in making this transition in such a short period of time.
Thank you to UFV staff for your dedication to your work and your can-do attitude. Our janitorial staff having been sanitizing our campuses and classrooms; our teaching and learning and ITS staff are helping our faculty develop online learning options; our risk and safety team have managed hundreds of details, not to mention those of you working in student life, our residences, HR and Finance, OREG, and Communications. I applaud your collaboration, your problem-solving and resiliency in these uncertain times.
I want our students to know that we will do everything we can to minimize the impact of this crisis for you. Please know that critical services are available online, through phone calls and in some cases, with social distancing, on our campuses. Our website remains our central hub for the latest information. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to have your questions answered during this unprecedented time.
To our alumni, donors and advocates — your support has been one of the essential pillars that will keep UFV going strong.
Finally, to everyone in our UFV community: be good to one another, take care of one another and others within our communities that need help.
Stay strong, stay safe, and remember, we’re all in this together and we’ll get through this difficult time together.
Until next time, be well and take care.
Joanne MacLean, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor
Stay up-to-date and informed at ufv.ca/coronavirus.