Exams on track despite limited transit service

By Вen Li

According to University of Calgary Associate VP Peggy Patterson, "the transit strike is not a legitimate reason for a deferred exam. Final exams will be held as scheduled and will not be deferred."

Patterson noted, however, that other issues may be considered when deciding deferral requests.

"I think the associate deans would take into consideration various factors in requesting deferred exams," said Patterson. "Part of the problem is that is that getting a deferred exam is sometimes not a plus because people have jobs or classes they want to go to. Certainly, consideration will be given to deferred exams in the same way they always are for those reasons."

Tuesday, a meeting that included the Students’ Union executive, the registrar’s office (which is responsible for exams) and the student awards office decided regular rules would be maintained for winter-session exams.

"We were very aware that many students might be wondering what the impact of the strike was on final exams," said Patterson. "We thought it was important to clarify what the expectations were and communicate that up front."

While SU Vice-president External Duncan Wojtaszek has been working with other Calgary student associations and administration to get vouchers for students, some students are now busing to class on the skeletal bus service that started on Wednesday.

Wojtaszek is concerned about the few students who have to pay $1.75 per trip, as opposed to using a bus pass.

"It’s certainly more expensive for students to take the bus every day than it was for the normal service," said Wojtaszek, who noted that passes for the limited bus services are unlikely.

Students in desperate fin-ancial situations may get help from the university.

"Students are encouraged to go to Student Awards for financial aid, for emergency funds at any time, but certainly during the transit strike might be one of those times," said Wojtaszek.

According to Patterson, students are adapting to the strike and absenteeism has declined since the first week.

"I think our students have demonstrated their ability to overcome a lot of adversity in getting here," she said. "Most students have been able to get assignments in on time and it shouldn’t affect grades per se, because it shouldn’t affect studying. We haven’t had any indication from either students or faculty or staff that it has been affecting their grades," said Patterson.

Bus routes 1, 3, 72 and 73 will run during peak hours on weekdays. Despite City of Calgary claims of limited space on buses, the Gauntlet never observed more than a dozen passengers on the buses leaving the university during the afternoon of April 4.

For more information, visit www.calgarytransit.com.