UVic students and staff express concern about return to campus
The University of Victoria (UVic) campus was quiet on Friday, but come Monday, students will be back as in-person learning resumes.
"I’m excited but also a bit nervous, probably like most people," said Victoria Jackson, a recreation and health education student at UVic.
"Of course there’s hesitations because of COVID, but if we’re being safe, I think we should be OK," said Daniella Snyders-Blok, a theatre student.
Snyders-Blok is happy to get back into the classroom because studying theatre from home is challenging.
"It’s very difficult and there’s a lot of hands-on set design that you can’t learn about online," she said.
HYBRID LEARNING
Access4All is a student-led group that represents students with disabilities, compromised immune systems and chronic pain. Access4All co-chair Jonathan Granirer says now is not the time to be going back to full in-person classes.
"Well, obviously a lot of students are really concerned but a lot of students are really excited to get into the classroom," he said.
Granirer wants to see the university offer an option or a hybrid education, "which would give students the option of attending in-person or online."
University of Victoria Faculty Association says that's not an option.
"That is something that the Faculty Association has opposed from the start," said Lynne Marks, president of the UVic Faculty Association.
Marks says the university has also been against asking its faculty members to teach a class both online and in-person.
FACULTY OPINION
The association polled its members about the return to the classroom and the results speak for themselves.
"About three-quarters are very concerned about returning at this point," said Marks.
She added that faculty would have liked to see the university hold off in its return to in-person learning for a few weeks.
"So that we could wait and see hospitalizations going down, case numbers going down," said Marks.
The University of British Columbia has just pushed back its return to in-person learning until Feb. 7.
Meanwhile, on the island, North Island College, Vancouver Island University and Camosun College all went back on Jan. 10.
"It’s been going well," said Alli Petheriotis, a psychology student at Camosun College.
Petheriotis says she was apprehensive about coming back at the start of the month, but says in-person learning works better for her.
"For hands-on learning, it’s a lot better," she said.
UVic says it is following the advice of the Provincial Health Office. That advice says the most up-to-date health investigations show that when a post-secondary student contracts COVID-19, it is often associated with a transmission at home or in a social setting, rather than classroom.
UVic is telling its students to stay home if they are sick and expects to see a higher level of absenteeism this semester.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Canada Post’s newest stamp features special cookies for Islamic holiday
Canada Post’s newest specialty stamps feature “melt-in-your-mouth” desserts to mark two Islamic festivals, the crown corporation announced Thursday.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6 per cent in January as Quebec strikes end
Canada's real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.