On June 19, 2020, StFX University announced its intentions to host students back on campus in September, with the majority of classes being offered in-person. Until the nineteenth, StFX was one of the few Canadian universities yet to make a decision regarding online vs. in-person classes, and students, staff, and faculty alike were eagerly awaiting the official announcement. Now that we have an answer, the question is, what does everyone think?
For the week following the announcement, I collected survey responses from 88 members of StFX faculty to find out what they are thinking and feeling about the university’s decision. The responses came from both contract and tenure or tenure-track faculty, and from more than 22 different departments. This article is a summary of what I found.
Overall, faculty are largely divided in their opinions about whether StFX made the right decision. 35% of faculty surveyed agree or strongly agree with the statement that StFX made the right decision to host students on campus in the fall, while 42% disagree or strongly disagree. The remaining 23% opted to remain neutral.
For those who agree with the decision, the mental health of students is front of mind. Dr. Angie Kolen, for instance, believes that in order for us to remain mentally healthy, “we need to be social, see people—in person.” Another professor, who wishes to remain anonymous, agrees with the decision largely because the alternative (online delivery) would cause more harm, and exacerbate a number of problems that already exist. Those problems include the mental health struggles that Dr. Kolen mentions, as well as academic struggles and social inequity. Then, there would also be an array of new problems to deal with, such as inconsistent internet access. Online education, they say, “has been shown to exacerbate social inequities, further widening the gulf between high-performing students who often come from wealthier … backgrounds and students who are disadvantaged.”
Those who are more skeptical, however, also speak to the inequities that an in-person approach might exacerbate. A number of respondents point out that students and faculty who are immuno-compromised will likely face increased difficulties and lower quality education, having to take or teach all their courses online regardless of an open campus. One professor, whose son has asthma, worries that returning to in person teaching would put their son at serious risk. “What of faculty, students, and staff with serious health problems or in vulnerable age groups? What about parents with young kids and nowhere to place them? What about elder care,” they ask?
If an outbreak occurs, many faculty are also concerned that the resulting shift online will look much like it did in March: chaotic, rushed, and nowhere near the quality of education students are paying for. A scramble to get home could also create financial hardship for many students, or prove impossible for those who need to cross international borders. What more, faculty are being told by administration that “they do not have to provide any more accommodation for students who have to self-isolate and miss face-to-face classes than they normally would if students get sick,” despite the fact that the situation we are in is far from normal. The professor who pointed this out was also concerned that some faculty may be penalized for putting in the extra work to support sick students, and consequently spending less time on other aspects of their jobs such as research.
Another big factor for those against the decision was whether they thought students and faculty would follow the rules. 65% of faculty surveyed disagree or strongly disagree with the statement that they believe StFX students will respect social distancing protocols, while only 20% agree or strongly agree. Concerns about fellow faculty not following those protocols were expressed in survey responses as well. For many, this distrust in others is a big reason why they feel unsafe returning to work. For others, there are still simply too many unknowns. Dr. Tharshanna Nadarajah, who teaches Math and Statistics, believes that given the identified risks, “forcing students back on campus is putting the school’s financial interests over student safety—regardless of how they try and spin it.”
Of the faculty members surveyed, only 35% of faculty said that they had been consulted by StFX prior to the announcement, while an even smaller 30% agree or strongly agree with the statement that StFX adequately consulted with and considered the needs of faculty prior to making their decision. For those who were consulted, some also expressed that they felt their concerns were ignored because of the institution’s financial concerns.
The responses of contract faculty versus those of tenure or tenure-track faculty also revealed a number of inequities within the university’s decision-making process. While all faculty are being asked to contribute a significant amount of labour to preparing for both online and in-person teaching, part-time and contract professors aren’t being paid for that work. Another respondent pointed out that the various seminars, webinars, and townhalls being hosted by StFX administration might be missed by contract employees who are technically not employed by StFX during the summer, and may be busy with other jobs or commitments. This respondent wonders “how many contract employees will miss out on opportunities to learn online teaching methods, or proper safety protocols because of their current employment status?” Many contract faculty also don’t receive sick leave (paid or unpaid), or other health benefits, which in the midst of a global pandemic, makes returning to work all the more unsafe. Failing to provide all faculty with sick leave and health benefits while asking them to return to return to work, as one professor puts it, “is to treat them as disposable.”
Not all contract faculty were upset about the decision to open campus, however. One professor shared their excitement over the decision, because had the university decided to shift online, their position may have been cut; they were grateful to still have employment in September. Others appreciated the opportunity to learn how to teach online, despite the fact they weren’t being paid—looking at it as free professional development.
Overall, faculty opinions on StFX’s decision to reopen campus for in-person instruction are mixed. Some are overwhelmingly in favour, while others remain skeptical that the university’s plan will be effective in preventing an outbreak of COVID-19. The most common trend among responses was a concern about the inequities that either decision would have exacerbated, leaving us to wonder why so many inequities exist to be exacerbated in the first place. For an institution that prides themselves in social justice leadership, StFX has a lot of work left to do.
