Season’s Greetings, everyone, and congratulations on all the hard work you have put in this year across the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. In the past year we’ve seen a lot of our programs expanding. We’ve also seen transformative leadership changes, with new deans bringing their vision to the College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy and the College of Community and Global Health.

Among our highlights in 2025, in September more than 280 alumni from all the Rady colleges gathered for our Homecoming Breakfast, filling the Brodie Centre atrium with energy and excitement. We organized and hosted many other significant events, including a symposium on the recruitment and retention of Indigenous scholars in the Rady Faculty — something that’s critical to fulfilling our obligations under the Calls to Action made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Another productive event was a workshop on the Learning Health System, sponsored by the George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation. It focused on finding solutions to the issues facing the health system today, which is a goal we all share in the Rady Faculty. I am proud to be part of a multi-disciplinary UM community that invests so much in caring for Manitobans. I am also proud of all our efforts to advance equity, access and participation. 

As the year comes to a close, I sincerely thank you for all your dedication. I wish you a peaceful and restful holiday season, and I look forward to working with you in the new year.

The Registrar’s Office will not be processing most document orders over this period, and document orders will be unavailable starting on December 18 at 4:30 PM. They will be reactivated on January 5.

The following services will be unavailable to students during this period:

• Transcript orders
• Enrolment Verification Document orders
• Confirmation of Eligibility to Graduate letter orders
• Confirmation of Degree Awarded Document orders
• Waitlist notifications (note that waitlist notifications will be paused December 22 at 12:00 PM)
• Online Photo ID card orders 

The following services will remain available to students during the Holiday Closure:

• Tuition Fee Appeal requests through Aurora
• Final Grade Appeal requests through Aurora
• Add or drop a course
• Joining the waitlist on a course
• Check your final grades

Office Hours:

• The Registrar’s Office will close at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, December 23, and reopen at 9:00 AM on Monday, January 5, 2026.

On Dec. 20, the majority of offices and services on University of Manitoba campuses will close beginning at 4:30 p.m. until business hours on Jan. 2, 2025.

Exams will take place at the Fort Garry campus until Dec. 20, and buildings will remain open and monitored until completion, but no services will be available if after closure hours.

From IST and computer labs to Dining Services, Libraries and recreation facilities, everything you need to know about the holiday closure can be found on the Operations and Maintenance web page.

Have a safe and happy Winter Break!

At Homecoming, Dr. Gerald and Reesa Niznick made an incredible gift of $5 million to the University of Manitoba in support of new, state-of-the-art dental clinics in the five-storey building, which was named in their honour. The Dr. Gerald and Reesa Niznick Centre is supported by $40 million of funding from the provincial government and will be home to Ongomiizwin, new classrooms for medical students, the dental clinics and a child-care centre.

We continue working together with the Manitoba government to address health workforce shortages and meet the needs of patients across the province. Thank you all, faculty and staff, for your immense amount of effort dealing with this rapid pace of growth over the last two years, and ensuring that it’s been successful and will be sustainable going forward.

Thank you for the exceptional dedication to teaching, research and service. I wish everyone a joyous and restful holiday season and a happy new year.

I want to wish everyone in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences community a joyous and restful holiday season. We’re in a transformational period in the faculty as we work together with the province to address workforce shortages and begin a generational expansion of our programs.

As we enter this exciting period of growth, I really want to thank all faculty and staff for your dedication to the University of Manitoba learners and trainees, and I look forward to an even greater role for our health professions and a revitalized health system. 

Watch the video below for holiday messages from the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences deans.

“We wanted to help bring joy and ease some of the stress that comes along with the holiday season for our student families who are currently experiencing financial hardship,” said Melissa Melo, co-ordinator of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre. 

This is the second year that the Family Centre has organized the Holiday Basket Program. This year saw an increase in the number of Rady student parents applying to receive baskets. Melo said that was not surprising, with the significant increase in living expenses students are facing.

Irene Osaghae, a third-year student at the College of Nursing, said she loves to receive the toys, children’s books and learning aids. “It means so much for me and my family. My kids are so excited for the toys, which I would otherwise not buy because I prioritize groceries. I am so grateful that staff and fellow students are able to donate to this worthy cause.”

When applying for a holiday basket, students fill out a questionnaire so they can receive items such as diapers and formula that are personalized to their needs, along with toys that are appropriate for their children’s ages.

“Being a student at the university and having an opportunity to receive a holiday basket for my daughter means more than I am able to describe in words, especially during the holiday season when children expect a lot of gifts and are excited to receive surprises,” said Amanjot Kaur, a dental hygiene student at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry.

“I really appreciate [the Family Centre’s] effort and time to buy everything and put it together.”

After putting out a call to the Rady Faculty community, the Family Centre raised close to $4,000 in monetary donations, as well as a large quantity of toys, diapers and other supplies.

“Our students work so hard,” Melo said. “This is one way that our Rady community can give back to those who are juggling studying, providing service in our health-care system and being a caregiver.”

Osaghae said she hopes the program will continue, so in the future she can become a donor.

Find out more about the services and resources offered by the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre on its website or email FamilyCentre@umanitoba.ca.

Season’s greetings! It has been an eventful year. I hope that all of you in our Rady Faculty community get some well-deserved rest and are able to spend time with loved ones, either virtually or in person, over this university break.

Keep in mind that it’s also a time to remember those who have less and those who struggle through this season, based on their circumstances.

It is time to charge up for what’s to come, and to do that with the confidence that whatever arrives in the new year, we will manage it together. Thank you for all your dedication throughout 2021. Have a good break and best of the season.

We suggest focusing on what is still available to you and how you can use the time to care for yourself rather than focusing on what you have lost or won’t be able to do. Your holiday break can still be renewing! Below you will find a list of suggestions, tips, and resources to help you have as renewing and engaging a holiday break as possible.

We want to acknowledge that for some of you this holiday break may be very difficult. You may have had someone close to you pass away, due to COVID-19 or other reasons, or this may just be a really painful time of year for you. Know that you are not alone if you’re grieving or not doing well and that there are supports available.

For UM students who have their student health coverage, you can call Empower Me at 1-833-628-5589, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to get some support. Other counselling resources available for you include those listed on the main page of our website as well as the below resources for managing grief during the holidays:

• MyGrief.ca
• OpentoHope.com
• CenterforLoss.com
• Grief.com
• Grief and the Holidays (video)

Suggestions, Tips, and Resources

Normalize the experience of the pandemic and be kind to yourself!

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone and there is nothing wrong with you if you have been negatively impacted! Remember that you are a NORMAL PERSON, having a NORMAL REACTION, to an ABNORMAL TIME. It is the pandemic that is abnormal and unusual, not you!

Be kind to yourself and accept the situation you’re in rather than judging yourself and and consider extending compassion towards yourself. One great resource for self-compassion is from Dr. Kristin Neff.

Also, check out the “Holiday Season and Winter Break Stress Kit” from Georgia Southern University.

Connect with family and friends near and far, from a distance

Human beings are relational creatures and most of us CRAVE social connection. COVID-19 pandemic restrictions will make connection more difficult but you can still spend time with family and friends:

• Plan in advance to connect with people in your life and do so in way where you can hear their voice like a telephone conversation
• Look for games you can play “together” while distant using technology such as Jackbox TV
• Host a “Netflix Party” and watch something “together while distant – then spend time afterward talking about what you watched

CAMH tip sheet on Social Connection in the Era of Physical Distancing

Give back and reach out during the holiday season

The field of Positive Psychology finds that giving to or reaching out to others helps everyone. Simple acts of kindness can have a far-reaching positive impact. Some examples include:

• A simple telephone call to connect with someone you haven’t spoken to for a while;
• A written letter to someone in your life;
• Make food and drop it by for someone or send food to someone’s home;
• Shovel someone’s walkway, or;
• Let people merge in traffic.

CAMH tip sheet on How to give back/reach out during holiday season

Establish a healthy daily holiday routine

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone’s routine and we’ve all had to adjust and create new routines. Some of these changes may not have been positive, however. We encourage you to think about the routine you’ve gotten into since the start of the pandemic and consider if you need to make changes such as:

• Trying to get improved sleep;
• Trying to eat healthier;
• Developing a good start of day routine (e.g., if you used to shower after waking and then prepare for the day by having breakfast, dressing… do this now too!). Having the occasional “pajama day” can be relaxing; pajama day every day is not good;
• Finding something fun and relaxing each day – we’ve got suggestions below!
• Moving your body each day – it doesn’t matter what this is. Your body wasn’t meant to be stationary for really long periods of time;
• Getting outside each day to breath the air and see the sun;
• Talking to someone at least once each day – to hear their voice (texting and email is not sufficient!).
• Monitoring how much time you’re spending on a “screen” (i.e., your phone, computer, etc.):
  • Modern technology is wonderful but too much use can contribute to lower mood and decreased energy;
  • Watch the Ted Talk by Adam Alter on “stopping cues” and technology use and consider how you use your free time.

Connect with culture and travel from the comfort of your home and keep yourself engaged!

• Free and inexpensive concerts from To Do Canada
• Watch free classical music concerts from Chamber Music Society or Classic FM
• Visit famous art galleries virtually for free
• Watch free and paid live music concerts online at Billboard.com
• Another list of free cultural events available for streaming from American Express
• Guided audio tours of street art around the world
• More lists of free concerts and galleries from CNN, Guild Hall
• Visit the Georgia Aquarium virtually for free
• Check out the Social Distancing Festival

Make a plan for managing virtual classes next term

CAMH Guide to Student Mental Health