Wilfrid Laurier University released a statement on Nov. 16 and announced the holiday break will be extended by one week.
Classes for the winter semester are now scheduled to begin on Jan. 11, 2021, with university buildings set to open on Jan. 6.
Laurier has received an increase in criticism from students over social media since the university’s transition into online learning due to COVID-19.
Overwhelming virtual class environments, which have contributed to declining student mental health, have been alleged as one of the contributing reasons behind the negative feedback.
“I want to begin by recognizing the resiliency you’ve shown through the year and the fall term as we adapted to living and learning during a global pandemic and experienced the summer of racial reckoning that galvanized action on racial and social inequities,” Laurier president and vice-chancellor Deborah MacLatchy said in the press release.
MacLatchy cited “the stress of this fall and appreciating the importance of physical and mental wellness” as the reasoning behind the lengthened break.
Laurier’s Student Wellness Services were also linked as a resource for people who need assistance or support while finishing the fall semester.
“I hope that you will take this extended break to rest, recharge, and reflect on your 2020 accomplishments,” MacLatchy said in the statement.
