'It's frustrating': University students, staff feeling uncertain at start of winter semester
KITCHENER -
Universities have already announced their plans to delay in-person learning in January, and instead, temporarily switch to online lessons.
But some students and staff members are feeling uncertainty surrounding their winter semester.
CTV News spoke to several people who are scrambling to adjust their plans.
"Remote delivery is not a task that's done easily and overnight," said Sebastian Fourne from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.
The Associate Professor of Strategic Management has been busy preparing online and in-person lessons, and said he's unsure which mode of learning will actually stick with students.
"Earlier news and earlier clarity is better, to focus on what they should actually learn versus how they will learn."
Wilfrid Laurier University said the winter term will begin virtually on Jan. 4, and in-person classes will start on Jan. 31. However, that could change as they continue to monitor the rising COVID-19 case count in Waterloo Region.
"I understand they don't mean to do this, but I feel like everything is going against me graduating and going against finishing," said Sophie Mandel, a third-year student at WLU.
She added that not knowing how the semester will unfold is stressful.
Mandel wants the university to make a decision sooner rather than later.
"Just to not have a plan, because cases are blowing up, they're not giving us a clear answer, even though we can see everything falling apart."
She said students who live out of town, who have secured a place to live for the winter semester, are now stuck paying rent in January.
"It's frustrating, we get that," said Chris Wilson-Smith, the Director of Media Relations for the University of Waterloo. "We want to get back in class and on campus too. That's why we're making plans to get that."
At the University of Waterloo, the winter term will begin online Jan. 5, and in-person classes could start as early as Jan. 24.
"Our commitment is still to be back in class, but it doesn't supersede our commitment to the safety of our students, our community and the community around us," said Wilson-Smith.
Classes at the University of Guelph are scheduled to start on Jan. 10 and will also be online until Jan. 24.
MORE: Waterloo, Guelph universities to start winter semester classes remotely
All three universities says these plans may change in response to the pandemic.
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