Fears that hundreds of students are crowded into exam rooms while people with COVID-19 symptoms could show up to write final exams has prompted a call for cancellation of in-person exams at the University of British Columbia.
The university’s Alma Mater Society issued a public letter to the administration saying that students have come forward expressing concern about the lack of distancing in exam rooms that house hundreds of students, as well as symptomatic students attending these exams.
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Eshana Bhangu, the society’s vice president for academic and university affairs, said an “overwhelming” number of students have come to share their concerns.
She said society has heard of little social distancing, people testing positive and attending tests, as well as students being forced to sit on the floor and write their tests due to lack of space.
“I’m looking for the university to show some leadership,” Bhangu said in an interview.
He added that the university was able to make a rapid transition to online learning when the pandemic began.
“I understand that there are logistical challenges, but they have shown that they can do it before,” Bhangu said. “It’s a matter of being willing.”
Kurt Heinrich, the university’s senior director of media relations, said in a statement that the administration has told deans that they can work with their staff and faculty to transition online exams when appropriate.
But he added that it would be up to professors and academic staff to determine whether an exam can be taken online.
“The situation of each university is different and at UBC we continue to receive guarantees from public health and from the provincial government that we are not currently seeing an increase in cases that pose a risk to the health of our students, teachers and staff,” he said. .
“We have been informed that we have important controls and measures in place to maintain the safety of our community.”
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Ava Peacock, a sophomore, said she has written multiple exams during this period with about 900 other students, leaving her feeling concerned about her health.
The lack of clarity on how many students are vaccinated against the virus and whether people attend after contracting COVID-19 is concerning, he added.
“We are scared for our safety,” Peacock said.
BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced new restrictions that will go into effect Monday for fear the Omicron variant will overwhelm hospitals.
They include a 50 percent capacity limit in venues with capacity for more than 1,000 people, a ban on youth and adult sports tournaments during the winter break period, and the cancellation of all New Year’s Eve parties.
Gurveen Kaur, a third-year student, said she is concerned about the lack of nearby locations for COVID-19 testing during the testing period.
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Kaur lives and works on campus and said the closest test site is 40 minutes away in transit.
“While universities around the world are connecting, (the University of British Columbia’s) insistence on exams and in-person instruction leads me to believe that UBC does not care about its students and employees,” he said.
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