Message encourages students to get vaccinated
The following message was issued to current and incoming students by the Office of the Registrar.
Dear Students,
The University of Prince Edward Island was fortunate to recently celebrate our classes of 2020 and 2021 online, and for those who were on PEI, in-person. While the mood was upbeat and the hope of a promising future evident during our hybrid celebrations, we recognized that the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic continues both among our graduates and you, our current students.
The pandemic has turned all of our lives upside down, but there is light at the end of the tunnel with last week’s announcement by the PEI Chief Public Health Office (PEI-CPHO) of their “Moving Forward in 2021” plan. In the plan, the PEI CPHO expects that post-secondary education will return to primarily full-time classroom learning, with online learning options, for the fall of 2021. The PEI-CPHO also mentions that there may be a vaccination component in this plan.
What does this mean for UPEI? UPEI is currently planning to have a return to largely in-person classes and campus life in September, just as we announced earlier this year. However, there are many variables at play, and we cannot predict how the summer will unfold in terms of the pandemic. We will continue to work closely with the PEI-CPHO and communicate with you and post updates to our Current Students web page as soon as they become available to ensure your return to UPEI in the fall is as smooth as possible.
What can you do to help us achieve our goal? Perhaps the single most crucial step each one of us can take to increase the chance of a successful return to an “in-person UPEI” is to get vaccinated. If you are on PEI, everyone aged 12 and over is eligible to receive a first dose. To learn more, visit the Government of Prince Edward Island COVID-19 vaccination website. For those of you who look forward to coming or returning to PEI in the fall, please get vaccinated as the opportunity presents itself. And to those of you who have already received your first dose, thank you for contributing to our shared goal!
The PEI-CPHO has also asked us to reach out to our international students to see if they are already on the Island, in other parts of Canada, or in their home country, and plan to come/return to PEI in September. I will be sending a second email to international students this week to ask these questions as their responses will help us plan for their arrival.
The other action you can take that will help us in our planning is to register. Registration for courses is now open to students with fourth-, third-, and second-year standing and will open to all other students on Monday, June 14.
I know that brighter days are ahead. While there are many restrictions still in place on PEI, in the Atlantic provinces, across Canada, and around the world, they are beginning to ease. I encourage you to get vaccinated so that our journey towards a more “normal” academic experience in September can continue. And I hope that wherever you are right now that you are able to enjoy a wonderful summer in the company of friends and family.
Sincerely,
Donna Sutton
Associate Vice-President of Students and Registrar
