Administration announces classes indefinitely shifting to remote delivery for the Fall
On the evening of Saturday, October 10, about a month after the start of the term, students were informed that the Faculty of Law would be transitioning to exclusively remote learning starting October 13. In making this decision, Dean Iacobucci cited University Provost Cheryl Reghr’s request that faculties consider whether in-person teaching is “essential.”
The Faculty’s announcement comes amidst the implementation of campus-wide measures, including the closure of fitness facilities, take-out only food services, and limits on social gatherings. These changes were announced in an October 9 statement by the University of Toronto, which described lab courses, music, and practical instruction as examples of “essential” in-person activities.
The email sent Saturday evening indicated that the move to remote learning followed public health measures implemented by the provincial government. These measures began Saturday at 12:01 a.m. and will run for 28 days, meaning that classes will not return to in-person settings until after the Fall reading week, if at all. While building and library access remains open to the large majority of students who elected to take in-person classes, Dean Iacobucci cautioned that the administration was “not confident that in-person classes will resume this semester at all.”
The University of Toronto was among a minority of law schools across the country with a substantial in-person component for course delivery, alongside Queen’s and Western. While some institutions such as McGill have already determined that the Winter term will be primarily remote, the Faculty has yet to make such an announcement. Dean Iacobucci indicated that the Faculty will continue to follow guidance from the University, but did not suggest any particular plans for after November 6.
As figures in Toronto have surpassed 300 new cases daily, it remains to be seen whether the curve can be substantially levelled off to allow for a return to in-person learning before the end of the term on December 9.
