News

Dear CUE Community,

Welcome to another update. I hope that everyone is adjusting well to this temporary ‘new normal’ and that you are continuing to find your classes engaging and worthwhile, albeit in this new online format. I have some important updates to communicate.

• Our campus is open, but access is now restricted and monitored. The purpose of limiting access is to reduce the chance of cross contamination, to track how many people are on campus, and to improve safety and security. Effective tomorrow and until further notice the following measures will be in place.
  • The majority of CUE business and communications should be conducted remotely. Most faculty and staff should now be working from home.
  • There will be only one point of access to campus, through the main doors in Hole Academic Centre (HAC). Hours of access will be Monday to Friday from 6:00am-6:00pm. For weekend access students and employees should contact Security on 780 479 8761.
  • The HAC entry point will be monitored by Security. Students and employees will be asked to provide a valid reason for an on-campus visit in order to gain access, and will be asked to sign-in and sign-out.
  • Only those with a CUE student or employee ID are permitted to enter campus buildings. Those without a valid ID, including accompanying children, will not be granted access. Students and employees on campus should have their CUE ID cards with them at all times.
  • The Tegler Student Centre and the Library (with restrictions) are open to students and employees, but the majority of the rest of the campus will only be accessible to employees with keys.
  • Students living in dormitories will have access to the floor on which they live, food services, and the Tegler Student Centre.
  • Our Library is open and operational, but with restrictions in place. Entry to the Library will be reserved for members of the CUE community who have a pressing need that cannot be met through virtual access. For example, those needing access to a CUE computer lab, those needing to check out a physical item, or those requiring in-person assistance from IT. In order to mediate this access, students should call, text, or email the library during regular 8:00 am – 4:30 pm hours and a library staff member will open the door for them. There will also be a mobile doorbell outside the entrance during hours of operation. Students, faculty, or sessional instructors will be asked to state the purpose of the visit prior to being granted access.  For more details please visit our Library website at https://concordia.ab.ca/library/help/covid-19-cue-library-service-updates/
• Convocation will no longer be taking place on May 23, 2020. Students graduating this year can rest assured that we will hold a convocation ceremony at some point, and that you will receive your degree on time. Alternative plans for a convocation ceremony are being developed and will be communicated as soon as possible.
• Last Friday, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada announced that international students who hold a valid study permit, or have been approved for a study permit, when the travel restrictions took effect on March 18, 2020, will be exempt from the travel restrictions put in place to stem the spread COVID-19. The full announcement can be found here.
• The COVID-19 crisis has brought on a proliferation of cyber-attacks and phishing scams targeting universities. Please be alert. More information can be found here.
• A new initiative, called the CUE Wellness Connection, might help to fend off some of those self-isolation blues, and at the same time assist our community to come together. Three regular events worth noting include:
  • Mindful Mondays – Google Hangouts sessions on various topics aiming to help with social connection and mindfulness. Mondays from 10-11 AM at: https://meet.google.com/szc-hewx-ocd   
  • Wellness Wednesdays – A new weekly fitness challenge each week. Check out https://www.instagram.com/cuedmonton/and https://www.instagram.com/cue_athletics/ daily for more ways to stay active during isolation.
  • Fab Friday – Not a reference to the Swingin’ 60s, but rather a focus on wellness topics like nutrition, sleep, relaxation, laughter, and much more. Sounds groovy, right?

Check out CUE social media pages every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for details.

Finally, as we all know, COVID-19 is a very serious virus and we must stop the spread. I recognize that the level of social isolation we are all engaged in is both new and difficult for many, but I urge you to comply with the health advice and stay home. Don’t go to that party! For the time being we simply cannot spend time with our friends and families as we once did. Please know that I am thinking of all of you who are struggling with this, and that I am immensely proud of each and every member of our community – students and employees – who are self-isolating and putting the needs of society ahead of their personal social needs. This will not last forever. For those who need to talk to a caring and understanding professional our Student Life and Learning team can be reached by calling 780-479-9241, or by email at studentlife@concordia.ab.ca.

As always, the best place to go for CUE updates related to the COVID-19 virus is our dedicated website at https://concordia.ab.ca/covid-19-information/

Stay home, stay safe, and stay healthy,

Best, Tim Loreman, PhD.

President and Vice Chancellor