Brock’s online education has NOT been equivalent to the level we would normally receive during an in person school year. As students, we expect a standard of education and communication from the faculty that was not upheld during the last 11 months. 

Since March, Brock University has been conducting its operations primarily online due to the pandemic. This was inevitable and we thank the Administration for improving the online resources as quickly as they did. However, even with the improvements I, along with many of my peers, have agreed that the education value we’re receiving is not equivalent to the in person instruction of previous years. We feel misled, we come to University to be taught and since we began it feels more like we’re teaching ourselves. 

As students, we persevered through the difficulties that came with transitioning to an online school format. However, it doesn’t feel like the school fully has. So I’m making this petition to show the school as well as the Student Union how much support a Tuition Refund currently has, as well as why we’re legally entitled to one.

In my research to find a way to get our money back, I read the Consumer’s Rights Act of 2002. (The full online document can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/02c30#BK16) Which says, that when a consumer is presented with an inequivalent representation of previous years’ service (in this case, the quality of instruction, services and communication by the university as a whole), they are entitled to recover the value of the difference in quality. Because of the imbalance between the 2020-21 semesters and those from previous years, we are entitled to a partial refund of the tuition paid. Simply put, it is unacceptable to charge the same (or more in the case of international students) tuition when there was a clear decrease in the delivery, services and retention of knowledge. 

To make sure I was fully understanding the document, I consulted a Consumer’s Rights Attorney to verify the legitimacy of my arguments as well to make sure I wasn’t overlooking anything. He believes we have a real case to work with. 

I understand that there was no way to anticipate that the COVID-19 pandemic would have affected us so severely. However, that does not take away from the fact that we should not be paying full price for a partial service. Brock should have been better prepared for the 2020 fall semester to be fully online, especially given they had a 6 month period (which includes a spring/summer semester) to wrinkle out any issues that may have risen. 

After learning about the shortcomings of many classes offered at Brock during the 2020-21 Fall and Winter semesters, I have compiled a non exhaustive list of reasons why the online school format is not equivalent to the in-person delivery. 

1. Lectures too short or replaced by third party content
   • Many professors have shortened what would usually be 3 hours of lecture content into a 30-minute “summary video”, leaving it up to the students to teach themselves the rest of the content. Some profs simply did not upload any lectures at all, but simply posted links to third party youtube videos. Possibly worst of all, some instructors would simply assign chapters upon chapters of textbook readings, leaving the students to teach themselves everything. 
   • Instructors need to take into account the different learning styles that students may have. For some, solely reading content is not an effective way of learning and absorbing information. 
   • Technology illiterate instructors falling behind on weeks worth of content due to ‘technical issues’
2. Less communication between students and instructors/TAs
   • With no in-person opportunities to ask questions or clarifications on content, students are left with few other means of communication. Emails can often go unanswered for weeks at a time, making it difficult as students to do our best.
   • Little live or (virtual) face-to-face opportunities
3. Limited access to Brock Facilities

Going forward, I present a few things Brock can do to remedy the situation. First, give students a refund on their 2020-21 tuition fees. As a business with a $107 million endowment fund, Brock should be willing to budge a little on tuition costs in such an abnormal year, and provide their students with the financial help we all need during the uncertain financial results of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Once that has been done, Brock should work with BUSU to ensure professors are equipped to be successful in Hybrid or online formats in the future. As well the school should place standards for online learning. For example, ensure that each professor has given students a way to reach them regularly. Whether by office hours or prompt email responses, professors should give students a window of time in which they can expect a quick answer to their course-related questions. 

This petition does not outline everything, there are countless circumstances for every student, and everything compiled and recommended is the result of who I’ve polled and how I would rectify it. BUSU needs to make this a priority and fight for our education, tuition and time. 

I (Austin Hurley) promise if I’m elected as Vice President of External Affairs, I will make this my first priority.