To all members of the Humber and University of Guelph-Humber (Humber) community,

As we experience colder temperatures and snow in the coming weeks and into next year, we would like to remind the Humber community about travelling to campus during the winter and college operations during the season.

During the winter season, we are planning to be open each day and to operate as normal. In the event that a college/campus closure is required due to severe weather, an announcement will be posted on humber.ca, our main Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels, and Humber Alert by 6 a.m. for morning classes, and 3:30 p.m. for evening classes, or as soon as possible. Unless a closure notice is posted as above, please consider the college to be open.

One of the criteria for a potential closure is to monitor the weather at the college and determine our ability to maintain the campus. As we expect to have snow and inclement weather, our facilities and campus operations teams are prepared to take actions such as clearing snow and melting ice.

On days with inclement weather, whether you drive to campus or take public transit, please give yourself extra time for your commute and travel according to road conditions.

For students, if you think the roadways near your home or the college are unsafe due to severe ice or snow, please call or email your professor if you decide not to come to class. For employees who think it is unsafe to travel to the college because of severe ice or snow, please call or email your supervisor.

You can sign up to receive notification of Humber campus activity, including closures here.

We will also inform GTA/Orangeville media of a campus or college closure. For Orangeville Campus students and employees, please note that separate announcements will be sent to you, as the weather in Orangeville and Etobicoke is not always the same.

If a closure occurs, students scheduled to be at external organizations for an internship or placement, or for other college related activities, will follow the protocol of the external organization with respect to cancellation of college activities or closure of the facility. It is the student’s responsibility to advise their external placement advisor or supervisor of any situation that prevents them from attending their placement or work.

For more information, please see the weather closure FAQ and Humber’s Unscheduled Closure of Campus Buildings (and severe weather procedure) policy.

We wish you a safe and warm winter season.

Susan Kelsall has decided to accept the position as Dean, Faculty of Management at Langara College, Vancouver. I’d like to acknowledge and celebrate Susan’s positive and invaluable contribution during her tenure at Humber and wish her success in her new endeavour. 

Susan has been a dedicated faculty member, Program Coordinator and Associate Dean at Humber for more than 15 years.

I am proud of Susan, her academic accomplishments and her leadership in the areas of pedagogy, teaching and learning and research.

Susan has worked collaboratively with faculty, staff, the administrative team and the Humber community.

Highlights of Susan’s accomplishments include the development and launch of two graduate certificates, piloting innovative cross-college initiatives, successful completion of external accreditation for the paralegal graduate certificate program, best practices in teaching assessment and research and much more.

We all wish Susan the best as she leads the Faculty of Management at Langara into the next chapter of higher education.

Good luck and thank you for supporting faculty, staff and students at Humber. You will be missed!

Alvina Cassiani, PhD
Senior Dean, Faculty of Business

Mary Ellen Gucciardi has earned one of Canada’s highest awards in the education profession: The Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s (RCGS) Innovation in Geography Teaching Award.

For almost a decade, she introduced teachers and students to the cultures and traditions of some of the First Nations of Canada—the Cree, Anishinaabe, Iroquois and Mohawk bands of Ontario—and the Inuit of the High Arctic. 

“It is truly an honour to receive this award,” says Gucciardi. “I feel strongly that inspiring young people to appreciate Canada’s geographic landscape through experience, whether it be through a Google Hangout or in their community on the land, can be transformational for students. This approach to teaching has become my passion.”

As a teacher with Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board who teaches at Humber College for the School Within a College programming. We see Mary Ellen’s dedication and passion for student success on a daily basis. Humber is committed to providing educational pathways to students, and Mary Ellen’s commitment to student learning is instrumental. We are pleased to see her work recognized by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

The Innovation in Geography Teaching Award comprises a medal and $2,500 prize, split evenly between the award winner and a donation in their name to a Canadian charitable organization. Mary Ellen Gucciardi will be donating her award money to Arctic Children and Youth Foundation. The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, presented Gucciardi with the award at a medal ceremony on November 21.

Read the complete story here.

April-Dawn Blackwell, MBA
Associate Dean, Pathways 
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Innovative Learning

To the Humber Community,

As you may know, Metrolinx and Mosaic Transit Group have started construction on the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT), including their fenced-off construction zone in Lot 5. The LRT will have a terminus station at Humber’s North Campus, scheduled to open in fall 2023. Overall, the 11 km-long LRT runs along Finch Avenue West between Keele Street and Highway 27.

LRT construction will occur in a number of phases and it may impact traffic and your commute to and from Humber’s North Campus, especially along Humber College Blvd, Highway 27 and Finch Avenue West. Capital Development and Facilities Management and Communications will continue to update the Humber community during the project.

As part of the early construction phase, tree removals are required along Highway 27 and Finch Avenue West. Mosaic has worked with an arborist to determine the trees that are to be removed, and the City of Toronto has approved the tree removal plan. Upon the LRT’s completion, new trees will be planted in compliance with the City of Toronto’s Tree Replacement Policy.

The tree removal process is underway, with the trees to the south of the campus scheduled to be removed in December and January. The majority of trees being removed are not on Humber property. Please see the accompanying rendering of the completed LRT project, showing where new trees and green space will exist.

Please visit metrolinx.com/finchwestlrt and here for more information about tree removal and overall construction, including where and when the work is happening, and what to expect during this construction phase.