Staying safe while building forward

Sherri Bell, President of Camosun College

Happy new year. I hope you were able to relax and unwind from the stresses and strains of 2020.

Our campuses are expected to continue to look different for some time, with ongoing opportunities through the SafeStart program for some face-to-face learning and working. Measures such as mandatory masking while indoors and physical distancing are expected to remain in place for a while yet.

The commitment, passion and resilience in supporting our students, each other and the community around us has been ever present at the college. My heartfelt thanks for your ongoing commitment to delivering the best possible education and support services.

Building forward

We enter 2021 with a cautious optimism about what lies ahead. A lot will depend on the vaccine roll out. The college will continue to follow guidelines from the Provincial Health Officer, the B.C. government and WorkSafeBC. While we hope for the best, we continue to look at all possible scenarios.

We are all looking ahead to the future with hopeful anticipation. And, while it is important to look forward, it is equally important to examine what we can take away from what has occurred since March. What lessons have we learned? What has worked well? What changes can we incorporate once everyone can safely return to campus? All are essential questions we need to explore. Details about how you can share your opinion will be made available in the coming weeks.

Looking ahead

As you know, 2021 marks our 50th anniversary. Turning 50 is an exciting and important milestone, and we launched an anniversary logo to mark the occasion. Please continue to check 50.camosun.ca to explore the timeline, contribute your memories and photos, and find out how to get involved.

Conversations Day is just around the corner. Like most events these days, we will come together in a virtual format on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 2pm, and have confirmed a fabulous alum, Michaela Pereira, as the moderator. Michaela has enjoyed a very successful career in the world of television news starting locally on CHEK TV before moving south of the border. Our focus will be ‘Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future.’

Last year, we postponed our graduation ceremonies. This year, we intend to honour the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021 in a virtual ceremony. While it is not a replacement for a physical graduation, it is one way to honour the hard work and efforts of our students. Details are still being worked out with an announcement in the coming months.

I cannot thank you enough for everything you do. We could not have moved forward this far without your hard work and creativity. I wish you a very happy, healthy and hopeful new year. Please take care of yourself, and each other.

Sherri Bell
President, Camosun College

COVID-19 updates

Past updates detailing Camosun College's response to COVID-19.

View Past Updates