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
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
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.
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.
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.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
B.C. court date set for 3 accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three suspects accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year are scheduled to appear in court in Surrey on Tuesday.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.