The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) released a policy paper providing recommendations in response to concerns students are facing during the global pandemic. The paper was developed by students at OUSA’s member schools and reflects student concerns resulting from the Fall 2020 term. The paper was passed on Nov. 1 and is available online for reference.
The policy paper addresses the affordability of post-secondary education as well as access to employment and financial assistance. Furthermore, students are concerned about the accessibility and quality of online learning, the lack of coordinated response from post-secondary institutions, and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on international students and students with caregiver responsibilities.
Many students have developed recommendations to address these concerns. They believe the provincial government should support students as it begins recovery efforts to mitigate the pandemic.
The major theme of the paper suggests that students are pressing for improvements to student financial assistance, greater accessibility and quality of online learning, and more initiatives to support the health and safety of students.
