B.C. post-secondary faculty worried fall return to in-person learning too soon

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – B.C.’s post-secondary schools are making plans for full classrooms this fall, but some faculty members aren’t so sure. They’re concerned about cramming students together before COVID-19 is further off in the distance.

Hamish Telford, a professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, points out B.C.’s restart plan suggests that by September, public health guidance will likely no longer recommend masks.

“All the sorts of issues that [grade school] teachers had with the restart in the schools I think could be replicated at least at the beginning of the term at the college and university level,” he said. “The difference with post-secondary classes is there are sometimes hundreds of people in a lecture hall.”

Telford notes there is some discussion about “cosmetic adjustments” to hallway flow patterns and possible changes in the cafeterias.

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But with hundreds of people in some classes and no paid time off except the mandated three days, Annabree Fairweather with the Confederation of University Faculty Associations says it’s worrisome. 

UBC and SFU are negotiating COVID concerns, especially into next cold season because “there’s other staff on campus and not all of them have the secured paid sick leave.”

“The big concerns as well aren’t just for faculty looking at themselves but how they’re going to support the students.”

And Telford adds he’s also concerned about how many people at post-secondary schools will be vaccinated by September.

“It could well be the case that we’re bringing people back, packing them into rooms — in my case, at my institution, for three-hour classes — without people being fully vaccinated or without physical distancing,” he said, noting many classrooms don’t have windows.

While the province has been able to deliver a four-step plan, Fairweather says it’s not entirely helpful for staff that would need to prepare. 

She explains until cases and vaccinations move in a positive direction – which can’t be pre-determined – all people can do is wait to see if the plan rolls out as the provinces hope it does. 

“But that doesn’t give faculty a lot of time to respond when they need the necessary prep time.”

‘Frankly, they’re scared’

Colin Jones with the BCIT Faculty Association says many members want to get back to work, but others are feeling anxious.

“Frankly, they’re scared,” he said. “Despite the very positive picture that’s been painted by the public health officer, people are worried that that may not be what comes to pass.”

Jones says in the past 14 months, we’ve seen how quickly things can change. He’s concerned the plan to fully re-open in September may be too optimistic.

“The overwhelming hope is that things will be great in the fall and there will be lots of vaccines and lots of second doses, and there will be low instances of COVID and low instances of hospitalization. But if that’s not the case, I think that’s where we have to hold BCIT accountable to adjust, and the public health officer to adjust and adapt to what may not turn out to be what they see in their crystal ball,” he said.

He says right now, the plan is for classes to resume this fall pretty much as they were pre-pandemic.

“The public health office released a primer to return to the fall a few weeks ago. It says full capacity in classrooms. It says full capacity in lecture theatres. No barriers. All the thing that have been introduced in the past year,” Jones said.

Neither Jones nor Telford see strikes in the future, but worry administration and staff won’t see eye to eye.

“From what I’m hearing from my groups … there is a loss of voice and they’re fighting very hard to be heard by the administration’s and some of them are more willing to listen, to hear, and to open up those doors for the collaboration of it,” Fairweather adds.