Two online petitions, one for and one against in-person learning at SFU, are gaining traction.
SFU is currently planning a full return to in-person classes on January 24, but some members of their student society have suggested that it’s too soon.
The rival petitions have thousands of signatures between them, but the petition that supports continued remote learning is currently in the lead.
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“This brief shift to some of our learning and teaching will provide time to learn more about the situation and consider additional tools to support a full in-person return,” SFU said in a statement in December in regards to why they were stopping in-person classes.
Last week, an email sent to students about the return to class was shared on social media, indicating that the plan aligns with advice from public health.
For remote learning
The petition to continue remote learning at SFU has garnered nearly 4,000 signatures. The petition has a goal of 5,000 signatures.
“The number of reported cases of COVID-19 continues to rise with the new variant Omicron. This leads to fear in the general public, and the discovery of the new Deltacron variant has worsened the fear,” reads the petition.
The petition was created by an account named SFU Students, but it is not clear if this is officially affiliated with any SFU student group.
For in-person learning
“It has been almost two years now, that COVID has disrupted our lives. Everyone was forced to lock themselves inside their houses for the greater good. It was understandable at that point because we knew nothing about the disease. Fast forward to today, almost 80% of BC is fully vaccinated and 30% have already received the booster shot.”
That’s a blurb from the petition pushing for a return to in-person learning. The petition has a goal of 500 signatures and has reached nearly 300.
“Dr. Bonnie Henry has indicated that based on our experience in BC and internationally, educational settings are low-risk for COVID-19 transmission.”
Other groups affiliated with SFU have raised concerns.
The SFU Disability & Neurodiversity Alliance https://t.co/Ae0jjrugb7 is releasing the following statement on SFU’s plan to return to campus on January 24th: https://t.co/DqBkYjK7vW pic.twitter.com/4PHoLt5h6D
— Brianna ‘Lesbian Disaster’ Price (@priceofbrie) January 19, 2022
While the two petitions are hardly a scientific measure of general student sentiments, it is interesting to read some of the comments from people who suggest they’re SFU students.
“Personally, I feel like a good compromise would be to offer in-person but record/livestream all lectures,” reads one comment in support of in-person learning.
“I don’t feel safe coming to campus, and since no one is here in this country to take care of me, I don’t want to end [up] hanging by myself in the worst-case scenario,” reads a comment on the other side of the fence.
Gabe Liosis, the president of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), suggested that there’s a general agreement among students that January 24 is too soon.
The SFSS executive committee has a press conference planned for Friday in reaction to SFU’s response to COVID-19.
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