Laurentian students, community members stage sit-in to demand program completion fairness for Barrie students

BARRIE, ON, Feb. 18, 2016 /CNW/ - The students of Laurentian University and the Laurentian Students' Union are staging a sit-in today at the Laurentian Barrie offices to demand the Board of Governors allow all Laurentian Barrie students to complete their four-year degrees in Barrie by 2019, at their April 15, 2016 meeting, in light of the Boards recent decision to close the Barrie campus by May 2019. This is a peaceful demonstration directed specifically at the decision-makers of Laurentian University.

"We want Laurentian University to be held accountable for their mismanagement of the Barrie campus and their neglect of student consultation over their decision," said Melanie Van Ameron, Vice-President Campaigns & Advocacy at the Laurentian Students' Union. "Over 200 students will be left academically stranded by the closure; asked to relocate their whole lives to Sudbury or finish their programs through online courses. This just isn't fair."

Following a Town Hall on Tuesday, February 16, which filled the Rowntree Theatre beyond its capacity, the students of Laurentian Barrie opted to continue putting pressure on the Laurentian Board of Governors. The Laurentian Students' Union is demanding they respect the commitment they made to all first and second year students when they enrolled and paid high tuition fees, to complete their degrees at the same university at which they began.

"Tuesday's Town Hall clearly demonstrated the administration's disregard for prior notice or consultation of students towards their decision to both close the Barrie campus and prevent many students from finishing their programs there," said Jeremy Ross, LSU President. "In light of the events of the past week, the administration has given us no other choice but direct action."

The Laurentian Students' Union is the central body representing all Laurentian University students at the Barrie campus.

SOURCE Laurentian Students’ Union

Jeremy Ross, President, Laurentian Students' Union, [email protected] or 705-618-7666