Dear faculty and staff,

As we enter the final days of the most momentous years in recent history — and my first year as dean — I would like to share my reflections and gratitude with our faculty and staff.

To remark that it has been a challenging year for our Faculty is a colossal understatement. The way we live, work and connect completely changed in the matter of days and I am tremendously proud of our community.

I am proud of our faculty and course instructors who transitioned their course materials online in a matter of weeks. I am proud of our staff who pivoted quickly to ensure the safety of our building and to accommodate remote activities. I know that most of you executed these extra efforts while managing fluctuating home and family obligations and I am deeply grateful for your work.

It is difficult to summarize what the year 2020 has meant for our Faculty, but I will try to share some highlights.

Together we made significant strides in transforming our academic offerings, including successful accreditation outcomes across multiple programs. We also maintained academic excellence during a period of tremendous uncertainty thanks to our collective education contingency planning response to meet the challenges associated with the pandemic.

Our research enterprise has invested tremendous time and energy to safely keep our research going while adapting our research efforts to support the global response to COVID-19. We published exciting new discoveries, established new awards and initiatives, and maintained a high degree of research rigour. Many of our researchers have also served as media spokespeople, helping to translate the impact of pharmaceutical sciences for media, policy-makers and society broadly.

We have also found new ways to support our students to overcome challenges while building resilience. Not only did we keep our Faculty operating, but together we ensured that our students continue to thrive.

Soon we will actively reflect on what we have learned (particularly with respect to remote teaching), but now is the time to rest, relax and acknowledge all that you have accomplished. Take care of your selves, one another and your loved ones. Rest and recharge and we look forward to seeing you in 2021.

Wishing you a safe and joyful holiday, and prosperous New Year.

Lisa Dolovich
Professor and Dean
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto