‘I just want to learn’: Students in limbo as many Dalhousie classes cancelled amid strike

As the fall semester begins at Dalhousie University, students are facing uncertainty as classes have been cancelled due to a faculty strike. The Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) has been locked out by the university after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract, leading to nearly 1,000 professors, instructors, librarians, and professional counsellors going on strike.

Many students, like first-year science student Andrew Collin, are expressing frustration at the disruption to their education. Collin’s international friends have been particularly impacted, with their semester plans thrown into disarray. The union is seeking wage increases to keep up with inflation, as well as expanded parental leave benefits and flexible class scheduling policies.

First-year student Yousef Al-Karrain, who hails from Moncton, N.B., initially brushed off concerns about the strike but is now considering returning home due to the uncertainty surrounding the start of classes. The largest university in Atlantic Canada, Dalhousie welcomed thousands of students last year, but labor issues continue to plague the institution.

In addition to the faculty strike, part-time instructors and teaching assistants represented by CUPE Local 3912 have also voted in favor of a strike mandate. International graduate student Walid Umaru from Egypt and Nigeria is feeling unsettled by the situation, unsure of when or if classes will resume.

Communication has been a point of contention for some students, with first-year student Savannah Burden from Newfoundland expressing frustration at the lack of clarity from the university. As the strike continues, students are left in limbo, unsure of when their academic year will truly begin.