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Academic year-end message from the Dean

Thank you to our FCS community as we come to the end of the 2019-20 academic year
May 05, 2020
RU Campus

Looking Back

At the start of this academic year things looked quite different from how they look now. With the winter term coming to a close in a way that none of us imagined, there is a lot that I want to acknowledge.

Students - Be Proud of Your Achievements!

In looking back, I hope that as students you will be proud of your achievements this year. The Faculty of Community Services (FCS) is known by many measures, one of which is the strength of our students and alumni. Students who are graduating this summer will be going into the world at a time when their contributions are very much needed. Many will go on to provide front line care to those in need, and others will be challenged with the task of determining how members of their professions can best advocate for a world that is organized in a more equitable manner. Thank you to our students for participating in and building a strong community at Ryerson. Your contributions have made FCS a better place. We wish all of you all the best for the summer months and into the future.

We are together in uncertainty

This term is closing in an unusual way. We have all had to make significant changes in our personal and professional lives in response to COVID-19. I want to share appreciation for all members of the FCS community for your efforts in this change. Your efforts continue to give me hope about what we can accomplish together and reinforce the values and purpose of our faculty. There are so many stories about how individuals and groups in our schools have quickly transitioned to remote learning formats, gathered and donated PPE and hospital beds to the front lines, and continued to take care of their families and communities in this extremely challenging time. FCS faculty members continue to be engaged in impactful research and are leading the way forward, even within a context of uncertainty. 

Looking forward

We don’t have many of the answers for what comes next. As we continue to face this global pandemic and its aftermath, we will continue to work together as a community to do the work that needs to be done to keep moving forward.  Graduates - I know your education at Ryerson will guide you well as you embark on your next chapter. Continuing students - we always have you in the front of our minds and will l communicate more information about upcoming semesters as decisions are made in the city and at the university. Staff and faculty - as a group, you continue to inspire me. Thank you for all that you do. You have had to make immense changes with extremely short notice, in how you work, teach, research, plan, and engage with your colleagues. I am grateful for your efforts and am proud of how we have all worked together under these difficult circumstances. 

Thank you.

Lisa Barnoff, PhD
Dean, Faculty of Community Services