Dear Students and Members of Staff,
I am extremely thankful to each and every one of you for your resilience in coping with the current weather-related crisis, with its distressing and still unfolding consequences. It is deeply concerning that many of our staff and students have been directly or indirectly affected by the cyclonic winds, unprecedented rainfall, landslides, floods, and the widespread loss of connectivity. Nevertheless, we must remain strong and focused, and adopt the safest and most sensible measures suited to the present situation.
Please be reassured that the offices of the Vice Chancellor, Registrar, and Operations have been in continuous dialogue with student representatives, student counsellors, sectional heads, the HR and Finance divisions, and Ministry officials, in concurrence with the Chairman and the Board of Directors, together with several University leads. The Deans and Heads of Departments are fully committed to ensuring continuity of your studies through the virtual mode from Monday, 1st December 2025, with a review scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, 3rd December.
In parallel, we are conducting a needs assessment of our own SLTC family, while ensuring on-campus support in the form of food and secure shelter for our hostel residents and those boarded in the village. I am humbled to inform you that the Chairman and Directors have pledged personal donations to support those in need through a welfare fund—an effort to which our own staff have also generously contributed.
Therefore, I kindly request all of you to remain calm and confident. We are committed to sustaining the quality of teaching and learning and avoiding unnecessary loss of valuable academic time wherever it is feasible and safe to do so. Please do not be misled by inaccurate information or false alarms. Remain steadfast and prioritise the safety and welfare of your loved ones in your homes and communities.
With regard to payments, let us collectively honour the need to follow the predetermined schedules defined by the authorities as far as possible. Relief in timelines will be provided on a personalised basis when genuinely required.
Please remember that the SLTC family must remain united in pursuing a single goal: to help rebuild the communities we live in, and to uphold the values and principles that strengthen our beloved country as a robust and educated nation.
I wish you safety, peace of mind, and the very best in all things in the coming weeks.
Stay safe.
Best Regards,
Prof. Chandrika N. Wijeyaratne
Vice Chancellor
