'Frustration' on UPEI campus as students return to class
CBC
After a faculty strike that lasted almost four weeks, University of Prince Edward Island students were back in class Monday, though some say they'd rather not be.
The strike ended Friday with an agreement between the faculty association and administration.
Formal exams have been cancelled in order to maximize class time until April 28, though some students still have tests worth up to 50 per cent of their grade. UPEI Student Union president Adam MacKenzie said that plan doesn't sit well with some students,
"These students are, for lack of a better term, fed up," he said. "I think people are really kind of done going to university for the semester."
He said the strike has taken a toll on everyone, himself included.
"I have heard from many students who don't really want to be on campus for the next two weeks. I think they understand why we are, but they really are feeling burnout and frustration."
Kiara Fehan, a second-year student at UPEI, was among a group of students voicing their frustration on Monday.
"We were all just very angry with the whole situation and we didn't want our semester extended, she said..
"We had a vote on it, actually, with the student union and… extending the semester was the least voted for. But that's what we ended up with. So I think just time and time again, students are getting thrown under the bus and we didn't want to stay quiet anymore."
The Charlottetown-based university said it will be giving back some of the tuition its students paid, after calculating how much money was saved from not having to pay staff during the strike, less any extra expenses incurred because of the labour disruption.
MacKenzie said they're still waiting for details on that plan.
Students are being allowed to drop classes without academic penalty by Tuesday, and can opt to appeal for their grades to be listed as pass/fail after getting the numbers.
A UPEI Student Union survey sent to full-time students found almost 54 per cent of students wanted a refund, and 43 per cent wanted credits to be awarded as normal or on a pass/fail basis.
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