Dear Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy colleagues,
These last few weeks have been unprecedented and have brought significant challenges many of us have never had to consider before. With the situation surrounding COVID-19 changing almost minute-by-minute, flexibility, adaptability, collaboration and hard work have been more important than ever. As I take a moment to reflect on where we stand today compared to even one week ago, I am deeply grateful for what we’ve been able to accomplish together. Our daily lives, both at work and at home, have been disrupted but we have managed to work quickly and efficiently with an unfailing focus on our students and our mission to maintain our leading education and research to the fullest extent possible.
At the same time, different parts of the University of Toronto have also been working well together with many coordinated efforts across our central units establishing the crucial groundwork an organization of our size and scope requires so that we can continue to meet this challenge together. As President Meric Gertler wrote in his recent letter to our community, “the transformation we have achieved in the last few days is nothing short of remarkable.”
It is nonetheless important to acknowledge that the uncertainty of our current situation can, at times, be overwhelming. I hope that you all take some time over the coming days to rest and recharge. Look to your friends and loved ones for support and strength. Take time to support others in turn. As we continue to navigate through these challenges, I am confident in our shared ability to uncover opportunities to maintain our important work and, in time, begin to consider how our unique talents and expertise can contribute to and support our city, province and country in our collective response to COVID-19.
With tremendous gratitude,
Lisa Dolovich
Dean
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto