May 4, 2020
Dear Friends and Collaborators:
I hope my letter finds you and your family well, despite the challenge of COVID-19 and the need for physical distancing.
We at the University of Windsor are coping with the challenge. Winter-term courses were delivered and exams were conducted online. A number of planned events had to be postponed or cancelled. Research that can be carried out virtually continues uninterrupted. Access to research labs on campus, however, is currently limited only to those faculty, students and staff engaged in COVID-19, and other approved essential research projects.
Our biggest challenge regarding research has to do with projects that require lab and field work, travelling, or face-to-face interactions. The need and desire to continue research during these unprecedented times must be balanced by concerns for safety and physical distancing, and the fact that the University is operating under an “essential-services-only” model (https://www.uwindsor.ca/coronavirus/).
We value our collaborations with you and appreciate your support of our faculty, students, and staff, especially during this challenging time. We remain committed to delivering the goals that we set out with you and your organization, if only delayed by COVID-19. We are hopeful that the increased effort and new initiatives of our governments and research councils will lessen the impact, and we will share what we know when there is clarity.
If you feel that the research programs that you are collaborating with us on may be unduly affected by the suspension of on-campus research, we would like to hear about your concerns. We are prepared to work with you to chart the best path forward, as well as to negotiate an extension of timelines and the research deliverables. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at vpri@uwindsor.ca and/or our colleagues at the University with whom you are working.
Thank you once again for your support and please stay safe.
Sincerely,
K.W. Michael Siu, PhD, FCIC, FRSC
Vice-President, Research and Innovation
University of Windsor