Back to class

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Classes resumed Monday, with instructors working to the general principle that students should not be disadvantaged by the interruption of the semester. The University has encouraged faculty members to find ways to accommodate the individual circumstances of their students and endorsed a list of recommendations from the faculty association for members returning to the classroom:

• Faculty should consult and discuss changes to the course outline with students in each class, seeking consensus to the extent possible.
• Faculty will reasonably reschedule any assignments, labs, readings or tests that were scheduled for completion during the work stoppage.
• Students will not be held responsible for or tested on material that has not yet been covered in class.
• Students will be provided a reasonable length of time for assignments due soon after classes resume.

This page will feature updates over the few days to reflect current information regarding the resumption of classes.

Update: Wednesday evening, October 8, 2008

The Office of the Registrar has announced the revised set of academic dates for the fall 2008 semester is available online. at

Some highlights include:

• The last day to voluntarily withdraw from a fall course is November 26 (it was previously November 7).
• The final exam period (except for Law and Consecutive Education) is December 15 to 22, with an alternate date of December 23. Note the timetable for finals is now available on the Student Information System.
• Should you wish to request an alternate exam date in accordance with a religious observation or because you have been scheduled for three or more exams in a single calendar day, you will need to make this request with the Office of the Registrar by October 31.

Update: Wednesday morning, October 8, 2008

The Faculty of Graduate Studies is committed to ensuring that students are not penalized by delays imposed by the recent interruption of the semester.

We have extended our Fall 2008 thesis deposit and graduation deadlines as follows:

• Phase I deadline: Friday, October 24, noon (originally October 8)
• Phase II deadline: Friday, November 14 (originally October 31)

For more details on these and other deadlines please review our Fall 2008 important dates section.

Update: Tuesday evening, October 7, 2008

Program to help students Retool for School: In order to support students’ return to their classes, Student Development and Support is offering a series of Retool for School sessions. Topics will range from punching up study skills to managing your time effectively.

• Guerilla Time Management
  Take charge of your success for the rest of this semester by ensuring you have a plan to conquer your remaining assignments and exams. Get the most out of what remains of your semester while still having time for yourself. We’ll help you develop a plan to combat the fear of being overwhelmed. Come armed with your schedule and your major assignment and test dates. You’ll leave feeling confident that you can indeed make this a successful academic term.
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• Tackling the Stress in Your World
  Being a university student is stressful enough in the best of times. We understand that lately you’ve experienced greater levels of stress as a result of factors that are out of your control. Having effective coping strategies in times of stress is half the battle. Make sure you’re equipped to wrestle the stress into submission.
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• Naked Study Skills (The Bare Essentials)
  Need a quick and dirty refresher on how to get to the important facts that are the backbone of your courses this term? Come and be exposed to tips for getting the most out of your lectures and your reading. Uncover the mystery of developing effective study skills to effectively identify and understand the bare essentials.
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• A Little Help From Your Friends (Shared Learning)
  We often turn to friends for advice. What better time to turn to them for mutual support? Discover how three heads are better than one when it comes to covering your course materials for the remainder of the term. New friends and old friends can all work together to master the information you need to know.

The sessions will run daily from October 9 to 17. Find a full schedule of times and locations on the Campus LifeLine Web site.

Update: Tuesday afternoon, October 7, 2008

Web site offers resources for teaching and learning: A Web site launched yesterday by the Centre for Teaching and Learning offers support to instructors as they engage students both within and outside the classroom for the rest of the fall term.

Combining original material with references and links to existing resources, the Resources for Teaching and Learning site offers instructors a range of tools, strategies and approaches for fostering efficient and effective learning, focusing on critical priorities, communicating with students, and fostering student success.

"The ideas offered on the site are not meant to be prescriptive, and are geared to the concerns and needs of instructors with varied levels of experience in teaching," says Alan Wright, vice-provost, teaching and learning. "The staff at the CTL sincerely hopes that these resources will prove useful as professors and students alike adapt to a modified schedule in the wake of the recent work stoppage."

Centre staff members are also available for individual or departmental consultation and welcome requests for further support in this period of adjustment. They invite members of the campus community to drop by, or to contact the Centre at 519-253-3000, ext. 4842.

Update: Monday evening, October 6, 2008

Revised exam schedule: The revised exam schedule is expected to be available by the beginning of next week.

Course add dates: The deadline to add courses has been extended until Friday, October 10.

Registrar's letter: The Registrar's Office will issue on request a letter confirming students' registration status and detailing the term of the work stoppage. This documentation may help students seeking accommodation for their changing circumstances from third parties, for example, travel agencies. To request one, visit the Registrar's Office or e-mail registrar@uwindsor.ca.