Never has the word “pivot” seemed more apt than it does in the time of COVID-19. I like to think of it as turning around a fixed point of stability, which in our case is the University. It’s what we at UNB have been doing since mid-March when our campuses were closed for the remainder of the term and during the summer as we planned for reopening this month.
Throughout the complicated process of adapting—pivoting--to the new reality, our dedicated faculty and staff have remained steadfastly committed to the University’s mission and our responsibilities to provide our students with an exceptional educational experience, to continue the pursuit of knowledge through research and scholarship, and to serve and support our communities. Our goal has been to keep everyone safe while still carrying on the important work of the University and preserving its integrity as a place of higher learning.
To achieve this, we developed operational plans for our campuses and for every unit and activity in Fredericton and Saint John, as well as our site in Moncton. We created a student safety orientation website, face mask guidelines, a system for students to book study space in our libraries and classrooms, location tracking mechanisms, and self-isolation protocols for students returning from outside the Atlantic Bubble. More than 600 of our faculty took training to improve upon their knowledge and use of online teaching methods, which were instituted last spring, so that most of our classes would continue to be available online, blended with in-person labs, clinics and practica where required. Graduate courses are being offered in person, with online classes available for those who cannot be present. I encourage you to visit the COVID-19 information page on the UNB website for a complete picture of the extensive provisions we’ve made to keep the COVID-19 curve flat.
New and returning students have been cooperative and conscientious in observing these requirements. Circumstances on each campus are somewhat different, with Fredericton’s older and less spacious buildings having more restrictions than Saint John’s newer and more open spaces. An estimated 20 per cent of Fredericton campus students and 40 per cent of Saint John campus students are attending in-person classes. Eighty per cent of our international students remained in the Atlantic Bubble over the summer, while 300-to-400 observed the necessary 14-day self-isolation period upon their return in August. Early estimates point to a relatively modest three per-cent decline in enrolment.
With each passing day the University community finds new ways of making the activities we value work in a virtual environment—book clubs, art exhibitions, the launch of entrepreneurial ventures, business competitions, guest lectures, poetry readings, thesis defenses, student government meetings, townhall meetings, even our graduation ceremonies. I am immensely proud of the way in which UNB has risen to this unprecedented challenge.
Stay safe,
Paul J. Mazerolle (BA ’89)
President & Vice-Chancellor
