Update: 今年不涨学费的约克秋季能否正常开学？

York University

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York Community,

In my last update in March, I shared details with you about our plans for the safe return to York’s campuses this fall based on public health and government guidelines. Faculties began the work of identifying priorities for in-person instruction based on an assumption of being able to utilize about 25 to 30 percent of our space.

Understanding the significant impact on our students, our goal has been to ensure that all students have access to some in-person instruction, while also being mindful of the needs of students who may still require remote access to courses. We also indicated that we would continue to closely monitor for any updates impacting the higher education sector. Over the past few weeks, a number of new developments have led to a more optimistic outlook for the Fall and Winter Terms.  

While the current rate of COVID-19 infections in the Greater Toronto Area remains high, there are indications that the situation may significantly improve by September. The Provincial Government has announced an accelerated vaccine roll-out, which will expand eligibility to all members of the York community this month.  

There is also a growing recognition that with continued stable vaccine supply, people may be able to access their second doses sooner. Health Canada has also approved the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 years and up, and there are indications that, pending review and approval, this could be expanded further to children aged 5 to 11 years old by the end of summer. In short, it is expected that more people will be fully vaccinated sooner over the summer months.  

While we do not yet know exactly what the fall will look like, current guidelines indicate that it will be possible to significantly increase in-person learning and co-curricular opportunities on our campuses this fall. We are therefore preparing a more optimistic scenario with closer to 50 percent of courses being offered in-person, focusing on offerings for first- and second-year students, whose transition to university has been greatly impacted by this pandemic.

虽然秋季会是什么情况尚不完全明确，但就目前的指导意见显示，今年秋季校内的面授课程和课外学习机会将有可能显著增加。因此，我们正在筹备更为积极乐观乐观的方案：近50％的课程将提供线下的面对面授课，主要针对大学过渡阶段被这次疫情严重影响的大一和大二学生。

At the same time, we will continue to provide access to a high-quality remote learning experience for those who are not able to attend classes in person this fall. As always, the health and safety of our York community comes first, and we will continue to closely monitor the public health situation over the coming months to determine the best course of action for our community. We understand that everyone is eager for certainty. This updated plan is based on the most recent projections, and courses will shortly be uploaded for course registration this fall. We will also be able to plan for more staff, faculty, and instructors on our campuses as the situation improves, and we will regularly update you as plans evolve.

同时，我们将继续为今年秋季无法到校上课的学生提供高质量的远程学习体验。一直以来，约克社区的健康与安全都是第一位的，我们将在接下来的几个月中继续密切观察公共卫生状况，以确定我们最佳的行动方案。我们了解大家对确定性的渴望。这套更新的计划是基于对形式的最新的预测，课程会尽快公布以便同学们的秋季选课。随着情况的改善，我们还计划在校园中投入更多的教职员工和讲师。随着计划的推进，我们也会定期向您更新。

Based on the latest projections, we are preparing for a full return to our campuses for the Winter Term. In the coming weeks and months, we strongly encourage all members of the York community to get their COVID-19 vaccine at their earliest opportunity, to protect themselves and their families, loved ones, and colleagues as we look forward to coming together again.   

基于最新的预测，我们正在筹备冬季学期的全面返校入学。在接下来的几周和几个月中，我们强烈鼓励约克社区的所有成员尽早接种新冠疫苗，以保护自己和家人、亲人和同事，因为我们期待着再次相聚。

We encourage you to join us at the Town Hall this Wednesday, May 12, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm, where we will be able to answer your questions and discuss this outlook for the Fall and Winter Terms. I look forward to seeing you there, and will continue to keep you updated in the coming months as our planning continues.

Sincerely,

President & Vice-Chancellor   

暖心举动

而且，约克大学还会为准备入境的新生提供免费的隔离酒店、一日三餐、外加心理疏导服务！要不要这么暖心？！