SFU students plan walkout as they return to in-person learning
SFU students are returning to the classroom Monday for the first time this year.
Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, several post-secondary students delayed the start of the spring semester.
Many SFU students were hoping the delay would be even longer; more than 4,300 students signed an online petition calling for remote learning to continue, and now, a walkout is scheduled for Monday morning.
Second-year student Dharshan Dasrath said he is concerned about returning to in-person learning because he needs to take two buses and the SkyTrain to get to campus, and he is concerned about being infected with the coronavirus on public transit or in the classroom.
“It gets very worrisome because I'm OK if I catch COVID, but I interact with my grandma daily, and if something was to happen to her, I think I would be very distraught,” he explained.
These concerns are what the Simon Fraser Student Society has been hearing.
In a recent survey, it found two-thirds of students express some discomfort about returning and roughly 70 per cent of students would like to see some form of virtual learning.
“There's just a general sentiment that it's way too soon to be going back, especially since they don't really know how Omicron spreads in academic settings,” said outgoing SFSS president Gabe Liosis.
An anonymous group of walkout organizers is calling on the university to provide access to N95 masks and rapid tests, introduce hybrid learning and extend the date to withdraw from classes.
“We reject the irresponsible and reckless handling of SFU,” said one of the organizers, who did not wish to be identified.
“It seems that SFU is following the provincial government who wants to ‘return to normal’ as soon as possible, regardless of the deaths and long-term effects of COVID-19.”
Liosis said the walkout organizers’ demands are the same as what the SFSS has been calling for since the start of the fall semester.
“Our calls to action haven't changed. It's just a matter of whether or not the university is going to listen to us, to take in our opinion and convince us the situation that they are trying to put us in is going to be a safe one and not one that's going to put us in unnecessary risk,” he said.
He said the SFSS recently voted to close the Student Union Building to prevent spread.
In an email statement, Dr. Catherine Dauvergne, SFU’s academic vice-president and provost, wrote that the university understands the anxiety and concerns students are experiencing from the pandemic.
“We know that there are a wide range of opinions and preferences amongst our community, but it’s particularly important to note that the majority of in-person classroom and learning settings are not considered close-contact environments for the transmission of COVID-19, based on the layers of protection that are in place, i.e., vaccination, masks, and ventilation,” she wrote.
She added there have been no reports of COVID-19 transmission in the classroom setting since the fall semester.
She said there are options available to students who feel like they cannot return to the classroom.
“We have strengthened supports for students feeling anxiety and we encourage all students in need of support to reach out,” she wrote.
The walkout is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Convocation Mall; participants are able to attend in-person or online.
UBC students will not be returning to in-person learning until Feb. 7 at the earliest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.