University of Ottawa students worried about COVID call for lectures to be posted online
Students are back on campus and post-secondary schools like the University of Ottawa, don’t require masks in class. Some students, who are worried about getting COVID, want more lectures available online.
Alexandra Whiteduck is a fourth-year student at uOttawa. She says she is nervous being shoulder to shoulder with strangers at school, but has no choice.
"It’s very packed in class. It’s ridiculous," Whiteduck says. "I’ve had to request professors to actually change rooms because there is not enough space for students."
Masks and vaccines are no longer mandatory on the University of Ottawa campus, making some students worried about even showing up for class. Some lectures are posted online to give students a chance to stay away, but not all classes.
"A lot of classes are offering bimodal, but a lot of classes are not," Whiteduck says. "So you do not have the option to either go or not go. Classes are not recorded so you have to be in-person."
The president of the university’s students' association, Armaan Singh, is now calling for all classes to be posted online, to allow students who are sick to still learn from home.
"No student should have to choose between their health and wellbeing, and their education," Singh says. "With the consequences of our university’s inaction of implementing a mask mandate and having accommodations for students to be to able access lectures in an online platform, is that students are now showing up to campus sick with COVID and putting their fellow colleagues at risk."
In a statement, the University of Ottawa says, "The health of all members of our community is paramount, and wearing a mask in the classroom is very strongly recommended. Students who are experiencing COVID symptoms should self-isolate.
"We strongly recommend that professors record classes and share lessons with those who can’t make it to class."
Many students agree that having the option to stay home can help keep everyone safe. However, some feel pressure not to miss class, forcing them to show up even when they shouldn’t.
"I definitely think the bimodal services for classes is 100 per cent necessary," says third-year student, Ieronhenehtha Lazore. "A lot of people are really worried about the amount of people in classes and mask mandates on campus, and even vaccination mandates. So I think there is a general concern."
"I don’t think it’s as big of an issue as it was this time last year," says second-year student, Reilly Lennox. "But there’s definitely still a risk and it’s better to play it safe sometimes."
Being in her fourth year, Whiteduck has experienced every form of pandemic education. Now she says having options would be the best option.
"If we’re paying so much in tuition, why aren’t these options available to us," Whiteduck says. "Why can’t we be bimodal. Why can’t we choose either to be in-person, or at home."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Happy tears' of victim's sister after prison attack on serial killer Robert Pickton
Cynthia Cardinal said she was 'overwhelmed' with happiness when she received a text message on Monday with the news that serial killer Robert Pickton, who murdered her sister, was attacked in prison. She called it 'karma.'
DEVELOPING Police investigating suspicious substance near U.S. Capitol
U.S. Capitol Police were investigating a suspicious substance Wednesday on a street near the Capitol and where the Republican National Committee headquarters are located, the police said in a statement.
Fish oil supplements may raise risk of stroke, heart issues, study suggests
As an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, daily fish oil supplements are a popular way to keep the risk of cardiovascular disease at bay.
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Interpol says more than 1,500 stolen Canadian vehicles identified since February
Interpol says more than 200 stolen Canadian vehicles have been found each week across the globe since February.
Thunderstorms with tornado risk in some areas in Ontario, snow elsewhere in Canada
Canadians can expect a mixed bag of weather, with forecasts warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and snow in some areas across western Canada.
opinion Biden steals debate issue from Trump campaign, makes it his own
Donald Trump had spent weeks needling U.S. President Joe Biden for his refusal to commit to a debate. But Washington political columnist Eric Ham describes how in one fell swoop, Biden ingeniously stole the issue from the Trump campaign and made it his own.
'All hell broke loose': Passengers on Singapore Airlines flight describe nightmare at 37,000 feet
Passengers on a Singapore Airlines flight hit by severe turbulence on Tuesday described a sudden, dramatic drop as 'all hell broke loose' on board the Boeing airliner carrying 229 passengers and crew.
3 people dead after stabbing in Plateau-Mont-Royal: Montreal police
Three people are dead after they were stabbed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough Tuesday evening, police say.