Dear Queen’s students,

This is the time of year when the principal would normally send out a welcome letter. In many ways, this is just such a letter, but these are unusual times and we are doing things differently this year. We are pleased to see some students have arrived in Kingston. You are important, integral members of the Kingston community and it is nice to have you back.

Over the summer, the administration and student leaders have been planning for your arrival and creatively addressing how we deliver both educational and co-curricular programming in a largely remote world. One thing has been guiding everything we do – the concern for the health and safety of our students, staff, faculty, and all residents of Kingston. COVID-19 has turned our world upside down but so far Canada and, in particular, the City of Kingston have managed to keep this virus under control.

This has taken concerted effort on the part of many including the hospitals, public health, the municipality, and the police. We need your help to continue to keep this virus at bay. Outbreaks within our student population will be disastrous, not only for us but for many others. We do not want to see the university forced to close its doors and students leaving the City as we saw in March.

We all have a role to play. The City, police, and campus security will be using their authority to enforce physical distancing and ensure that people do not congregate in ways that promote the spread of COVID-19.  We support their efforts.

Please familiarize yourself with the public health requirements as they will be enforced and penalties for failing to abide by them will be utilized. We cannot afford to let COVID-19 get the upper hand. 

A great deal of public health information is available on our website and students will be receiving our Off-Campus Student Living Guide, both digitally and in person, which contains important information about safe practices and community expectations with regard to prevention.

We want this year at Queen’s to be a positive one for all and, most importantly, for you to stay safe and well. We will continue to provide information, guidance, and resources for students on COVID-19-related issues.

Signed,

Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice Chancellor

Sam Hiemstra, University Rector

Justine Aman, President of Society for Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS)

Jared den Otter, President of Alma Mater Society (AMS)

Here are links with helpful information and resources from our community partners:

City of Kingston – Emergency order issued to ensure physical distancing in City parks
KFL&A Public Health – Appeal to young adults from KFL&A Public Health’s Chief Medical Officer