Ryerson University announced last week that the school intends to return to in-person classes and activities, starting on Jan. 31.
University President Mohamed Lachemi announced in a letter to the school community that the return will coincide with the province’s loosened restrictions, and will be gradual until Feb.28. By that date, the university intends to have students and staff fully return to campus.
For now Lachemi said the gradual return will be program and faculty specific, with guidance coming from departments in the coming days.
Lachemi would go on to state that he believes in-person classes is the best route for the university’s students.
“A return to in-person learning is in the best interests of students," Lachemi writes. "We know that the collaboration and conversation that happens in classrooms and labs, the access to in-person supports both in the classroom and beyond, and the community and relationships created by on-campus extra-curricular activities are just a few of the benefits of returning to campus."
Lachemi and director of communications Karen Benner were asked to comment on the full return to campus prior to this episode. No response was provided at this time.
As the school continues to monitor the ongoing Omicron variant in Toronto, Lachemi also mentioned the university’s multi-layered approach to safety on campus will strictly adhere to the updates from Ontario’s Medical Officer of Health.
Mask protocols and proof of full vaccination or medical exemptions will continue to be enforced by the school.
The full return to in-person campus life however, is being opposed by some students, who feel the return is rushed and puts them at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 – through petitions, letters to the university and increased dialogue on social media platforms, these individuals are asking the university to consider hybrid or online options for their classes until case counts decrease and vaccine booster shots increase.
This includes Jwalit Bharwani, a mechanical engineering student who created an open letter criticizing the university for not giving students a choice of whether they feel ready or safe to return to campus full-time.
Bharwani further cites his family’s own experience with COVID-19, and asks the university to wait on future data to determine when it is safe for students to return full-time.
“With merely two months left in this semester when the school plans to reopen, it is worthless to put students through this much work and risk while maybe giving them 40 days on campus which won’t add anything due to weather, stress and restrictions," Bharwani writes. "I plead to Ryerson University to stay online for the remainder of Winter Semester and make more informed and data based decisions in the future.”
An anonymous survey was also attached to the letter for students and community members to submit.
Bharwani was asked to comment on the open letter, but no response was given at this time.
Also, a student-led petition on Change.org asking the university to give students an option to return to in-person classes has garnered more than 10,000 signatures since January 21st.
Like Bharwani’s letter, the petition reads that students were not notified about the sudden changes and have not been given a choice in whether they feel safe returning to campus.
More details are expected to be released by the university on Jan.31.