Over the past two years Carleton has been offering online courses due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The transition to online learning was fast but during this time, numerous advantages and disadvantages have been highlited for students.

For starters, the online mode of learning would mean no more strict times for labs/tutorials early in the morning and that students would be able to join lecture  sessions asynchronously as they work on their own time. Students registered with the Paul Menton Center for Students with Disabilities (PMC) have also been accommodated as they are given more resources for success, ranging from note-taking from peers, exam and lab accommodations and learning tools for success that are just not possible in an in-person environment.

It would also mean that students would not have to commute early in the morning to catch busses which may or may not show up.

Accessibility to Profs, also improved as they became more responsive to emails and live lecture inquires during zoom calls. Students would be able to arrange appointments with their respective professors or tas for specific inquires that they would otherwise feel uncomfortable asking in class.

Students had so been able to save their CGPA each semester by opting for Carleton's Compassionate Grading policy to change a low mark or a fail to SAT/UNSAT. This would would mean that one 0.5 credit course that was poorly performed in, in each particular semester would not be included in CGPA calculations.

Now the disadvantages of the transition to online courses were far less than advantages but equally valid. With online courses and no real incentive to come to campus, students have been missing the social aspect of being on campus and getting the in-person experience and meeting new people, forming relations and doing hands-on coursework.

International students were put in a limbo as they were looking forward to coming to Carleton for in-person experiences and signed leases for houses in Ottawa. Once the decision to go Online was announced, numerous students had showed dissatisfaction with the decision with International students leading the charge.

As a student who has had classes which have successfully managed in-person and online lab/tutorial sections simultaneously and posted lectures. It made me realize that a solution which can help both students who thrive in an in-person environment and also ones who succeed in an online environment can be accommodated with the resources that the university currently has.

When it comes to a possible return to a full in-person Fall 2022, a large portion of the student society has expressed that they would be uncomfortable on-campus despite government lifting mandates, lack of a desire to go in-person, social anxiety as University has been online and etc.

As almost three straight years of undergraduate students entered University when they had no option of going in-person, it has become their learning style. Changing that learning style may not be advisable as it is something that developed over an extended amount of time.

What we are advocating for is for Carleton University to provide online/hybrid options for the Fall2022 semester. This can provide flexibility to students who still may not be comfortable coming to campus or who cannot make it for personal reasons.

Carleton University has always strived to bring out the best in all of its students whether it be through offering different modes of learning, support for extenuating circumstances, clubs to be involved in and etc. We sincerely hope that Carleton can continue to prioritize the mental health, well-being, and support for students it has been showing for the past two years.

Finally, it is our hope that Carleton University can continue to be a model for other Ontario Universities in bringing out the best for its students and putting their needs first.