University of Toronto staff unions and the U of T Faculty Association (UTFA) are protesting the university’s plans for in-person classes in the fall, which contrast with other Ontario institutions that have chosen to teach the semester online. The groups fear U of T’s plans could compromise student, faculty and staff health and safety, and are calling for greater adoption of online education.
Five U of T unions and the UTFA launched a petition called “U of T’s Reopening Plan is NOT Safe Enough. We Need to Take Fall 2020 Online.” As of Monday, its third day online, it had garnered more than 1,000 signatures.
“We believe that in-person teaching is normally the most effective, valuable form of pedagogy; however, it cannot come at the cost of community safety,” the petition says. “Until the time that community safety can be ensured, we must perform whatever work we can remotely.”