TCSA By-Elections: Candidate Profiles Released

The TCSA is happy to announce that the candidate profiles for the students running in our 2020 Fall By-Elections have been posted to our website. Click here to read about each candidate and their platform, and keep your eyes open as campaigning gets underway, both on campus and digitally.

We invite everyone to join us virtually on Friday, October 9, 2020 from 1pm to 3pm for a Meet the Candidates event on zoom. Click here to register in advance for this event.

Questions about the TCSA Board of Directors, our positions, or the elections process? Email tcsaelections@trentu.ca.

Transit Survey Launch

The TCSA would like to hear from all students regarding Peterborough's Transit System!

Now that students have returned to campus and are using the city's bus routes, we'd like to gather some feedback about the system and how you use it. This survey is anonymous and will only take a few moments to fill out. Click here to take the survey.

Any questions about the survey or general transit inquires can be emailed to bus@trentcentral.ca.

Trent Student Benefits: Home Country Coverage for International Students

We are excited to announce that your Trent Student Benefits have gone global! The TCSA and StudentVIP have worked to bring continued health and dental coverage to international students enrolled at Trent who are studying remotely from their home country this fall. This means that Trent students who are not physically on campus can still take advantage of this great benefits plan.

Please note that if you opt-out of the Trent Benefits Plan, you may be required to opt-in for coverage if you return to Canada during the 2020-2021 school year.

Details about Home Country Coverage:

• Coverage is available worldwide in a student’s home country only.

• Claims incurred outside of the student’s home country are not eligible (unless incurred in Canada).

• Students must pay upfront for services and file a claim. All claims must be submitted through the Medavie Blue Cross member portal or mobile app. If you do not have an account, you must register for one first.

• All claims must have a paid-in-full receipt and all supporting documentation (e.g. physician’s referral or script) must be included with the claim. Claims can be submitted up to 1 year from date of service or 90 days after your coverage under the plan terminates, whichever comes first.

• Students must sign up for direct deposit and have a Canadian bank account to receive any eligible reimbursements.

• All claims are reimbursed in Canadian funds.

• Expenses are eligible as per the terms and conditions of the existing plan designs with the exception of the Accident and Travel portion of the plan. There is no coverage under the Accident and Travel benefits unless the student returns to Canada.

Please note: Home Country Health & Dental Benefits are for international students studying remotely in their home country due to COVID-19 only. This does not apply to students studying or working abroad.

Any questions about your Trent Student Benefits plan can be directed to benefits@trentcentral.ca.

TCSA Fall By-Elections: Nominations Open

Each fall, the TCSA holds a by-election to fill any vacant positions on our student Board of Directors. We encourage all students to run for a position and get involved with the student union. Due to the current limitations on social gatherings the Association is facilitating its Elections digitally this year.

Any students interested in running for one of the vacant positions below can download a nomination package from our Elections page. Nomination packages are due via email by 4pm on Friday, October 2, 2020. Candidates may also pick up and submit nomination packages in the TCSA office. Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (closed from 1pm to 2pm) for cleaning.

Available Positions: 

• Vice-President Student Health & Wellness

• Environment & Sustainability Commissioner (volunteer)

• Ethical Standards Commissioner (volunteer)

• On-Campus First Year Commissioner (volunteer)

• Off-Campus First Year Commissioner (volunteer)

• Gender Issues Commissioner (volunteer)  

• Mature/Transfer Students Commissioner  (volunteer)  

• Part-Time Students Commissioner (2 volunteer seats)

• Queer Students Commissioner (volunteer)

Where to find more information: 

Visit our Elections page if you are interested in obtaining more information about our Elections. Please know that you can email tcsaelections@trentu.ca if you would like to speak directly with a member of the elections committee or if you have any questions about the elections process.

Elections Timeline: 

• Nomination Period - Monday, September 21 at 9am to Friday, October 2 at 4pm

• Campaigning Period - Opens Monday, October 3

• Voting Period - Tuesday, October 13 at 9am to Friday, October 16 at 4pm

• Ratification - Sunday, October 18 at the TCSA's Board Meeting

Other Events (Subject to Change):

• Meet the Candidates on Tuesday, October 6 via TCSA's Instagram Live

• Candidate Q&A on Thursday, October 8 and on each day of the voting period (subject to candidate availability, live via Zoom meeting) 

Statement Regarding Outdoor Gatherings on Campus

Dear Trent students:

We’re so happy to welcome you virtually and in person to the fall semester. We’re hoping that even with everything that’s going on, you have a great academic year, and that you connect with your fellow students and with the community.

We want address an issue that has happened in the last couple of days. There have been several outdoor parties that have taken place on campus, and based on social media posts this included significant unsafe behaviour, including that people weren’t physically distancing or wearing masks, and in at least one case the number of people exceeded the provincial limits. This puts the Trent and Peterborough community at risk, and jeopardizes the campus reopening. If you are going to gather together with friends, on or off campus, it’s essential that you follow safety precautions. We have vulnerable people among our students, staff and faculty, and also in the Peterborough community.

Please see this letter to students from our Peterborough Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Rosana Salvaterra.

For your own safety and the wellbeing of the community, if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please immediately self-isolate and call Peterborough Public Health at (705) 743-1000, or if you are a student living in residence, call your residence don right away for assistance.

If you are concerned about people on campus not practicing safety precautions, please contact Campus Security: (705) 748-1328 or (705) 748-1333.

At Trent we pride ourselves on caring for each other, and for our community. We hope that all students help us uphold this fundamental value. We don’t want our students to be the cause of an outbreak, and we want all of you to have a safe and successful semester.

Thank you,

Ann-Majella McKelvie
President
Trent Central Student Association

Nona Robinson
Association Vice President Students
Trent University

The TCSA office is Re-opening!

We can't wait to see all Trent students, new and returning, on campus or remotely!

Some information about the TCSA office re-opening this upcoming week:

• We will be closed on Monday, September 7 for the Labour Day holiday

• Our office hours will be Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

• Our office will be closed from 1pm to 2pm to allow for sanitization & cleaning

• While we will continue to sell the used textbooks we currently have on our shelves, we are unable to accept any used textbooks into the Consignment Book program. We encourage students to sell textbooks via the Trent Mobile App.

• We will not be accepting cash payments at this time. Debit, Credit, and Trent Card will be accepted.

• To follow social distancing regulations, we will be monitoring the number of people in our office. One student will be allowed in the office at one time, apart from our staff members.

• A reminder that masks/face coverings are required indoors at all times. If you would like to add to your mask collection, we will have grey cloth reusable masks for sale in our office.

Please reach out to us at info@trentcentral.ca or (705) 748-1000 if you have any questions!

Resignation of TCSA Vice President Student Health & Wellness

The Trent Central Student Association and Allan Fabrykant, Vice President of Student Health & Wellness, wish to make the following joint statement:

As many of you are aware, on August 9, 2020, Mr. Fabrykant posted a link on a message board that commemorated the sixth anniversary of the death of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black teenager who was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri. The content of the post consisted of a link to a Department of Justice report concerning the investigation into the shooting by officer Darren Wilson. The report, while not exonerating Officer Wilson, concluded that the matter lacked prosecutive merit against the officer.

The context in which the post was made, and follow-up comments by Mr. Fabrykant, caused many of our members to become upset, viewing Mr. Fabrykant’s post as being insensitive. Mr. Fabrykant and the executive acknowledge that the content of the post was insensitive given the context of the message board and the current cultural and political environment. Mr. Fabrykant apologizes unreservedly for the post and the impact it has had on members of the organization and the TCSA.

The executive acknowledges that Mr. Fabrykant appreciates the impact the post has had while understanding that Mr. Fabrykant did not intend to inflame tensions. In addition to the concerns over the content of Mr. Fabrykant’s post, the executive also received encouraging communication from some members of the BIPOC community that they believe that resolving this situation in the correct manner presents an opportunity for reflection, education and growth. The executive acknowledges Mr. Fabrykant’s apology. Mr. Fabrykant and the executive stand with their fellow members of the TCSA against racial injustices against Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. As a member of the board and executive, Mr. Fabrykant recognizes that his position requires him to act in the best interests of the Association. Given the distraction that his continued presence on the board may represent, Mr. Fabrykant has decided to resign from the board and executive of the TCSA.

The TCSA executive has also learned from this experience. As part of the Association’s commitment to transparency, an emergency board of directors meeting following the incident was held in public. Over 125 people attended the meeting (virtually). While the executive recognizes the legitimate concern of its members, it also recognizes that meetings considering the conduct of any member or officer must be conducted in a respectful and dignified manner. Mr. Fabrykant believes that some of the comments made by members at this meeting had antisemitic connotations. The TCSA acknowledges that some of the comments from people making representations at the meeting crossed the lines into personal attacks on Mr. Fabrykant. Future meetings will be controlled in a manner that respects everyone’s dignity as the TCSA is fully committed to fostering an environment wherein our members can pursue academic excellence as well as personal and social growth free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, oppression and persecution.

The executive of the Trent Central Students Association continues to be an organization that supports its membership’s concerns. The executive called a meeting at the request of the Membership to consider whether Mr. Fabrykant should continue in his position as Vice President Student Health Wellness. All our directors and executive members hold their positions at the pleasure of the membership. The members can vote to remove any director and/or officer of our organization. As Mr. Fabrykant has resigned effective immediately, the scheduled meeting (for this Sunday, September 6, 2020) will be cancelled.

Signed:

Allan Fabrykant

Ann-Majella McKelvie,
President of Trent Central Student Association

2020-2021 Trent Student Benefits

As of September 1, 2020, all students enrolled in 1.5 credits or more (September-start) can access their Trent Student Benefits Plan for extended health, dental, vision, and travel coverage. This health coverage will be active from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021.

Those students in fewer than 1.5 credits, or those who have not been charged for this plan, can opt-in to the Trent Student Benefits plan during the opt-in/opt-out period. Students who have alternative comparable coverage who wish to opt-out of this plan can also do so during this period. We would like to remind students that the Trent Student Benefits plan can be used in conjunction with any other existing health coverage you may have through a parent, employer, or partner. Those enrolled in the Trent Student Benefits plan who are looking to add dependents, may do so during the opt-in/opt-out period as well.

The deadline to opt-in, opt-out, or add dependents to your Trent Student Benefits is Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 11:59pm. You can opt-in/opt-out by visiting our Benefits website: studentvip.ca/trent.

Questions about your Trent Student Benefits? Email benefits@trentcentral.ca.

Postponement of Meeting of the Membership to Sunday, September 6, 2020 at 7pm

To the TCSA membership,

At the request of our members (received by the TCSA President on August 17, 2020) a meeting of the membership was called for Sunday, August 30 at 7:00pm for the purpose of termination of office proceedings regarding Vice President Student Health & Wellness, Allan Fabrykant.

At the advice of the Association’s legal counsel, this meeting is postponed by one week. The meeting will take place on Sunday, September 6, 2020 at 7:00pm. If you have previously registered to attend this meeting, you do not need to re-register. If you would like to register, you may do so by clicking here. The agenda for this meeting can be found on our website, or by clicking here.

When registering please provide your name, preferred pronouns, student number, and email address to attend (trentu emails preferred). Meeting registration closes on Friday, September 4, 2020 at 11:59pm. Registration will be on a first come, first serve basis. Due to limitations of the Zoom platform, registration will be capped at 300 people total. Participation will be prioritized for members of the Association. If anyone requires accommodation to participate in the meeting please email boardresource@trentcentral.ca.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact President Ann-Majella McKelvie at president@trentcentral.ca.

Ann-Majella McKelvie

TCSA President

Peterborough Transit Schedule Updates Effective September 6, 2020

With the start of the 2020/2021 academic year approaching, Peterborough Transit will increase frequency on several routes, add late night service on select routes, and extend the hours for the Community Bus routes to support increased ridership. The following changes will begin Sunday, September 6, 2020.

Service updates that start on September 6, 2020 include:

• #5 Parkway will increase to 30-minute frequency during morning, midday and afternoon peak periods on weekdays.

• #6 Sherbrooke and #7 Lansdowne will increase to 30-minute frequency all day, 7 days a week.

• #8 Monaghan and #9 Parkhill will increase to 30-minute frequency during peak periods on weekdays

• All Community Bus routes will increase operating hours by an additional hour, Monday to Friday.

• Trent/Fleming Late Night Service will be introduced seven days a week.

“With community and business activity growing and schools reopening, Peterborough Transit’s ridership continues to increase,” said Councillor Kemi Akapo, Transportation portfolio co-chair. “Public transit supports activity in our community.”

Peterborough Transit recent customer service enhancements include becoming a Google Transit partner with routes and schedules available through Google Maps as well as with the ability for customers to use the Hot Spot app available through Google Play and the Apple Store as a digital, touchless option for fare payment.

The new schedules that start September 6, 2020 are integrated into the Google Transit trip planning feature. Customers can plan ahead by entering a future date into their trip planning on Google Maps.

The service changes will continue to support needed flexibility to adapt to increasing ridership and safety requirements.

Peterborough Transit requires customers to wear a face covering when using Peterborough Transit, in compliance with direction from Peterborough Public Health. Customers are asked to make every effort to respect physical distancing as much as possible. Peterborough Transit continues to limit seating capacity on buses; it asks customers to remain behind the red line and away from the barrier around the driver’s cab.

At the Transit terminal on Simcoe Street, the public washrooms and the waiting area remain closed while the customer service area is open for inquiries and fare purchases.

For full details, and for route maps and transit schedules, please visit the Peterborough Transit website.

Announcement re: Meeting of the TCSA Membership, Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 7pm

To the TCSA membership,

On Monday, August 17, 2020, the membership submitted a petition requesting for a meeting of the membership to be called for the purpose of removing TCSA Vice President Student Health & Wellness, Allan Fabrykant, from office. As a result of this submission, TCSA President Ann-Majella McKelvie is calling for a meeting of the membership to take place on Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 7pm for that purpose. An agenda and materials for this meeting will be available on the TCSA website as of Sunday, August 23, 2020.

This meeting will be held digitally. All members of the TCSA are welcome to attend this meeting and participate in any business and discussion. When registering, please provide your name, preferred pronouns, student number, and email address to attend the meeting. Registration for the meeting will close on Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 11:59pm. Registration will be on a first come, first serve basis. Due to limitations of the Zoom platform, registration will be capped at 300 people total. Participation will be prioritized for members of the Association. If anyone requires accommodation to participate in the meeting, please email boardresource@trentcentral.ca to follow up.

Those interested in attending must register by clicking here.

Fall Clubs & Groups Day: Registration Open

Registration is now open for the TCSA’s fall Clubs & Groups Day. This event is hosted and sponsored twice each year by the TCSA to bring exposure to the wide range of student-run clubs and groups available on Trent’s vibrant campus, and to allow students to familiarize themselves with the options of extracurriculars available. As the event grows each year, it becomes even more important for student organizations to register in advance. Fall Clubs & Groups Day will be held on Friday, September 11, 2020 from 11am to 3pm and will take place virtually.

This Fall Clubs & Groups Day will be hosted on Instagram Live. Each club or group that registers will be given a five to ten minute time slot to talk about their mandate, membership, and any topics of their choosing. Clubs and groups will be required to register in advance, allowing the TCSA to release a schedule of the event well in advance. The event will be recorded and posted on our social media platforms.

Click here to register. Any questions can be directed to TCSA Community Coordinator, Shannon Featherston, at community@trentcentral.ca.

Statement Regarding Conduct of VP Student Health & Wellness

To the TCSA membership,

On the evening of Wednesday, August 12, 2020, an emergency meeting of the TCSA Board of Directors was held to pass a motion to strike the Executive Review Committee to review the conduct of VP Health & Wellness, Allan Fabrykant. Over 125 people attended the meeting, and the motion passed unanimously with one abstention from the board. The minutes will be available for this meeting as soon as they are completed and approved.

The Executive Review Committee has begun meetings for the review taking place. The Association trusts the committee to review the matter thoroughly and promptly. The membership of the committee was determined at the Board meeting and is as follows:

• International Students Commissioner Ankit Tripathi

• Women's Student Commissioner Lauren Graziotto

• Otonabee College Commissioner Olivia Paleczny

• Black Student Representative Fareeda Imana

• Association Resource Manager Matthew Seaby (to act as chair)

Observers:

• Charlotte Oduol

• Mikayla Livingston

• Danielle Adderley

We also want to take this opportunity to apologize to the membership for the lack of communication leading up to the meeting. Our focus was to take quick action on this matter and having to move quickly impacted our outreach. We thank those who were able to attend the meeting, and we plan to ensure the communication strategy meets the needs of our membership regarding this matter. We are available to support and help with the membership needs and have compiled a list below of on- and off-campus resources available for support.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact TCSA President, Ann-Majella McKelvie, at president@trentcentral.ca. If you have any questions about the executive review committee, please contact TCSA Association Resource Manager, Matthew Seaby, at boardresource@trentcentral.ca.

In Solidarity,

Ann-Majella McKelvie
TCSA President

Resources:

Cultural Counsellor
First Peoples Housing of Learning
705-748-1011 ext. 7072
bettycarrbraint@trentu.ca

Counselling Services
113 Blackburn Hall
705-748-1386
counselling@trentu.ca

Centre for Human Rights, Equity, & Accessibility
121-124 Otonabee College
705-748-1011 x7725

Peer Support
Student Centre 3.04
peersupport@trentu.ca

Trent International (immigration, advising, wellness counselling, programming)
3rd floor, Champlain
705-748-1314
international@trentu.ca

Community Race Relations Committee
Sadleir House Room 204
751 George St. N.
705-304-4318
racerelation@gmail.com
racerelationspeterborough.org
Anti-racism.ca

Transit News: Google Maps Compatibility

We have exciting news regarding Peterborough Transit!

Transit riders can now use Google Maps to plan trips around the city using public transit.

Simply use the Google Maps app, or use Google Maps on your phone/computer web browser and input your starting and final destination.

Click the bus/transit icon for your method of travel and your results will show you various bus routes and your estimated travel and arrival time, as well as when the next bus will arrive to your bus stop.

Email bus@trentcentral.ca if you have questions about anything transit-related.

Clubs & Groups Registration Now Open

TCSA Clubs & Groups registration is now open for the 2020-2021 year!

If you are an existing club/group or you wish to start a new club/group, you can click here for access to the clubs registration form.

Registering your club with the TCSA grants you access to resources and club funding, including free space bookings on campus, access to a mailbox, the ability to use the Trent University logo, event calendars on the TCSA website, and much more!

Email community@trentcentral.ca if you have any questions about club registration.

Emergency Board of Directors Meeting Called: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

In light of recent events that have occurred on social media involving some of our members, the TCSA has called an Emergency Meeting of the Board of Directors for Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 7pm. This meeting will be held digitally; the agenda can be found by clicking here.

All students are welcome to attend any TCSA Board of Directors Meeting. Those interested in attending can email Matthew Seaby at boardresource@trentcentral.ca for more information and for the link to the digital meeting.

TCSA Statement Re: Social Media Comments - August 11, 2020

In light of recent events on social media platforms involving certain members of the Association, we would like to express the following:

The TCSA is an organization that stands against racism and injustice. We actively seek to be anti-racist and provide space for anti-oppression discussions and training for all our members.

The views that have been expressed by certain members in recent social media discussions do not reflect the views of the Association, and we do not condone any sentiments or actions of this nature. This is a matter we do not take lightly. The TCSA Board of Directors will be working together to address this issue.

Please contact president@trentcentral.ca if you would like to reach out regarding this matter.

Trent Transit Announcement: July 2020

The TCSA, and the City of Peterborough’s Transit division, in addressing the impact COVID-19 has had on transit, have made significant changes to how the service will be delivered in the fall at Trent. Taking into account the current ridership restrictions required by Peterborough Public Health, to protect public health and safety, and the suspension of service to Trent in March, the following will be implemented:

1. The annual levy fee ($303.47) typically charged to all eligible undergraduate students in September will not be charged. A reduced levy fee will be applied in the winter billing cycle and will reflect ridership levels which are unknown at this time. The fee will be determined at our fall TCSA Annual General Meeting. 

2. The 2019-2020 bus pass, which was set to expire on August 31, 2020, will automatically be extended until January 8, 2021. If you currently have the pass on your phone, you will see the update take place shortly. If you currently have a plastic card, drivers will honour those until January 8.

3. If you do not currently hold a pass, all Peterborough students enrolled in September courses will receive an email and be able to download their digital transit pass at the end of August. Trent community members will be provided a pass at no charge by contacting the Card Office in Blackburn Hall. Your transit pass will be valid on all City of Peterborough bus routes until January 8, 2021. Once expired, those automatically charged for the pass through winter billing will have a new card automatically available to them to download or pick-up. Those not automatically billed can choose to purchase a pass from the Card Office. The Card Office can be reached at campuscard@trentu.ca 

4. In recognizing that restricting Trent ridership to only two Express buses was no longer an option due to social distancing measures, Peterborough Transit reenvisioned service at Trent and effectively doubled the number of buses coming to Trent from three to six. 

Trent now has four buses coming to the West Bank (#2 Chemong, #3 Park, #6 Sherbrooke, and #8 Monaghan) and two to the East Bank (#7A Lansdowne and #9 Parkhill). These buses travel across the city of Peterborough, effectively opening up housing options and allowing more opportunity for those who live off the Water Street corridor to ride city transit to Trent. The routes and schedules can be found on the City of Peterborough website. Current schedules are minimal at this time in reflecting summer ridership and set to increase in September. 

The TCSA and Peterborough Transit will closely monitor the changes and are dedicated to providing the Trent community with exceptional service. If you have any questions or concerns, we welcome your feedback. Please email bus@trentcentral.ca. 

Announcement: Update on Our Open Letter to the University

To the members of the TCSA,

On Friday, July 24, 2020, the TCSA released an open letter to Trent University’s administration regarding feedback that was gathered from membership about the year ahead. We raised important questions about how the institution plans to communicate decisions that impact students, the University's plans to support students, and its rationale for maintaining tuition fees in spite of the changes and challenges students are facing. The letter, as well as a summary of student feedback, was sent directly to Leo Groarke, the University’s President, and Nona Robinson, the University’s Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs, for further consideration and action.

Since Friday, the administration has confirmed they have received these documents. On Tuesday, July 28, at a meeting with student leaders, they confirmed they will be issuing communications to all students within the next week that will provide answers to the questions students have posed. The Association is awaiting these releases with anticipation and we look forward to continuing our dialogue with the University on how it will keep students informed and supported through the challenging times we are facing together. 

Turning to the Association’s response, we will be making an announcement shortly regarding transit for this fall. The Association takes its responsibility to support students seriously and we hope proactive measures to make the year more affordable will create a positive impact on student experiences in September. If you have any questions about the membership feedback survey or ongoing conversations with Trent University, please feel free to connect with us on social media or via email. 

In Solidarity,

Ann-Majella McKelvie
TCSA President
president@trentcentral.ca

TCSA Membership Survey Results

To the members of the TCSA,

On June 20, 2020 the TCSA released a digital  membership feedback survey to its members. This survey closed on June 30, 2020, and during this period of time we received a significant amount of feedback on issues students are facing in the year ahead. For more details, please find the summary of the survey results by clicking here.

We want to take this opportunity to thank our members for filling out this survey. We were able to collect valuable information to further direct our advocacy efforts and the delivery of services for the upcoming year. We want you to know that in the year ahead the Association is here for you. In September, look out for the Executive Strategic Plan, which will highlight the Association’s major initiatives for 2020-2021. Our goal is to continually improve our operations to better suit the needs of our members. Our doors (virtually and in-person) will be open, and we hope to see and hear from you in the coming months.

In the survey responses, we have read a number of concerns about Trent University and how they plan to support students through the pandemic. Students are unsatisfied with the level of communication delivered by Trent. We also read many concerns about the ability of students to afford the school year ahead. Trent has not provided a clear rationale and explanation for the price of tuition and a clear plan to support students experiencing financial difficulty. There are also a number of concerns around the quality of education that can be expected as courses and university services move online. We hear these messages, and we want Trent University to know that more needs to be done to support students through this time of hardship. 

In some ways Trent has taken positive action to support students, such as creating the student rapid relief fund and subsidizing access to technology for students who cannot afford internet services or quality laptops to complete their studies with. Noting these positive steps, the University must recognize that more can be done. On behalf of our membership, we ask for Trent to be more accountable and transparent on the decisions it makes that impact students. Trent University has not been vocal enough in their plans to support students, and this needs to take place in order for students to feel secure going into the school year. Students want to know the substance to decisions Trent is making in relation to tuition and services.  

We pose the following questions to Trent University on its direction for the 2020/2021 Academic year:

1. Why has Trent maintained the price of domestic and international tuition despite education being moved to a remote learning format?

2. What is being done to support International students (new and returning) during the pandemic?

3. What access will students have to services to support their academics, health and mental health through the year ahead?

4. What is the University’s communication strategy to students regarding institutional decision making?

5. Will the University consider including student representatives on the planning task force responsible for responding to COVID-19?

Right now, students are unsure about what to expect from Trent to begin the 2020 academic year. We ask that Trent University reaffirm their commitment to the students by answering this call for information and further action. 

In solidarity,

Ann-Majella McKelvie

TCSA President