Anna Voskuil | News Editor
Victoria Silman | Assistant News Editor
Featured Image: Students are facing the challenge of completing their previous year alongside their current year. | Fatema Ali
As a result of a nearly five-month long strike, many students are facing more challenges in applying for Fall/Winter 2018 to 2019 courses, as well as completing work from the previous term.
As most students work full-time or are travelling during the summer months, there are options for completing winter courses successfully and fairly. Choosing the tuition credit option is good for students who wish to retake a course or choose a different course, however deferred standing is also a viable option.
According to the York website, deferred standing is directed towards students who could not complete outstanding work and/or examinations during the summer remediation period.
In order to acquire deferred standing, students must contact their course instructor to discuss a remediation plan. If after this discussion it is agreed the student cannot complete their outstanding coursework by August 31, they may request for deferred standing.
Next, they must complete a remediation-specific course extension, and check their grade report within three business days for a DEF/INC notation next to the courses for which deferred standing has been requested.
Students with deferred standing must complete their coursework by December 21.
For students who wish to complete the winter semester through the deferred standing option, Professor Jon Sufrin, Assistant Lecturer in the Writing Department advises: “Reach out if you have not already made contact, and let your professor know you are committed to finishing the course. Make sure you know about the December deadlines for getting work in.”
As Winter and Fall terms collide, though, Sufrin emphasizes that students should be proactive in completing coursework as soon as possible. “Now really is the time. Professors will be a lot more sympathetic in the first week of September than October or later,” he says.
When enrolling in courses, students are met with this notice on the York Courses website: “We understand that there may be higher than usual demand for major courses and for some electives due to limited course offerings in the Summer 2018 Session and the volume of students who elected to drop Winter 2018 courses as a result of the labour disruption.
“The University is monitoring enrolment and will continue to adjust plans and scheduling to accommodate demand for major/required courses.”
A student who wishes to remain anonymous further explains this increase in demand tends to be a result of more students dropping out of courses due to the strike, and then re-enrolling because the course is required to graduate.
“For example, my class had over 30 people in it but after class resumed, only six came to class. Many of them dropped the course, or applied for the TCO.
“In addition, there were students who were supposed to graduate, but couldn’t complete the required courses because of the strike.”
“I think the situation was a huge inconvenience to everyone involved. I think the whole ordeal was stressful for students graduating.” they add. “I can’t even imagine spending five months wondering whether I’ll be graduating or not.”
When asked what resolutions should exist for the students needing to retake courses, they say: “The university should give more effort to help them finish what is left of their education, because they can’t have more courses until they can finish, as compared to other students.”
