CORNWALL ONTARIO – In a switch from having to cross a picket line, St Lawrence College students in Cornwall came out Thursday to join the OPSEU (Ontario Public Service Employees Union) picket, to demonstrate their need to have classes resume, as well as to show their support for College Faculty – but not so much for the College Employer which shows no desire to return to the bargaining table.
With no help offered by their own Student Union – that has yet to meaningfully act to represent or advocate for their members since the strike began – students organized themselves through e‑mailings and Face Book to present a public plea for return to studies.
Student picketers came from a range of programs including; Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN); Early Childhood Education (ECE); Personal Support Worker (PSW); Paramedic; and others.
Students want the College, the Government of Ontario, and the public to know, the damage being done to their life plans, finances, and career goals.
For while the College sits on paid student tuitions, students right now are dealing with financial uncertainty, and see future earnings and careers being pushed further and further away.
One picketing student, who left a paying job to pursue studies toward a better career, has had her OSAP (Ontario Student Assistant Plan) meant for food, rent and living expenses of a family, held back because the College has cancelled classes.
In another case, a nursing student has been deprived of an on-site hospital clinical training day (already paid at $250 per day), and sees more lost money and delayed training ahead if classes are not soon resumed.
There may have been hot dogs, camaraderie and a bit of sunshine on the picket line… But this week’s student demonstration at SLC Cornwall, speaks to the seriousness and stress of an education, career, and personal finance under siege.
Editor’s Note: A St. Lawrence College Student Union representative, when asked, was not open to comment on matters related to the current interruption of studies.
My daughter came out with the same thing that these students are saying and that they (the students) will pay more in debt and lose a lot of their courses. My daughter has a $10K debt and took her course in 1 year and came out with 96.6% and no job in that line. My daughter took that course for post secondary.
To all those at the college go to the college and use the computer labs and also study on your own in your books at home. Don’t depend solely on the so called teachers. If you are intelligent you will crack the books and look on line for information. You will pay a great deal for this strike. The internet will help you with questions and use the SEARCH ENGINES. Nursing is mighty hard.
Jules: I’m one of those students. I have been at school 4 days a week working on my assignments because I’m lucky enough to have a teacher who posted all our course schedules at the beginning of the semester. I have submitted all my assignments even though they aren’t due. My clinical was due to start tomorrow. I want my teachers back, that’s why I was there.
I have only been 4 days a week so as to spend some extra time with my children. Unfortunately, it’s possible that some of my classmates may not have taken this time to keep on top of things. Where will that put those that are?
Rwanitta I wish you the best on your courses. You can never just depend on the teachers. You have the course outline and what you do is to study your textbooks and also look up information on the internet as well as go through other textbooks in the library if you can find them. College is very difficult and you have to study on your own. University is even worse.
Rwanitta I see by your post that you have children and this makes things a great deal harder. You have to study when your children are asleep and one lady who works with my daughter could not do my daughters medical administrative secretary course because of family. My daughter scored high marks but there are very few jobs in that line. Many doctors have retired or left. My daughter made 96.6%
You are about to enter another dimension…
You’re being prepped for surgery; the nurse leafs back and forth through a medical text; the doctor studies a YouTube heart by-pass video one more time; the anasthesiologist (a graduate of the family’s most recent cat), compliments you as you go under, for not being “all scratchy and yowling like the others”.
…Next stop, the JulesZone