The college strike has come to an end as back-to-work legislation passed Sunday afternoon at Queen's Park.
About 12,000 instructors have been on strike for five weeks, affecting half a million students at Ontario's 24 colleges.
Two weeks ago, the College Employer Council asked the labour ministry for a forced vote on their latest offer. Last week, the majority of faculty rejected the offer and the province asked both sides to return to the bargaining table.
A few hours later, though, talks broke down and the Wynne government announced it was introducing back-to-work legislation. The bill could have passed on Thursday with unanimous consent of all parties at Queen's Park.
The NDP delayed passage of the bill, arguing that it takes away from workers' rights.
After a third and final reading, the bill passed 39-18, with the Liberal and PC parties voting in favour.
CLASSES TO RESUME TUESDAY
The college council has said that instructors will be back to work Monday for preparation, while classes are to resume on Tuesday.
The schedule moving forward will vary depending on the college, but many colleges have said that the Christmas break will be shortened and the fall semester will be extended by three weeks into the new year.
The winter semester will start later in January, and the school year will end later in the spring.
New dates for tests and assignments will be shared with students once they are back in class.
Go to your individual college's website for more information on the updated schedule.
CENTENNIAL
Regularly-scheduled classes will resume on Tuesday, November 21.
We will consult with your faculty to finalize our academic recovery plans. Centennial's service teams are working on every aspect of student support and we are putting additional resources in place to help you succeed, including for example, extended hours of service, access to library learning strategists, greater disability supports and once the Ministry details are known and operationalised, access to hardship bursary funding.
Rest assured, you will not have to submit assignments or write tests during the first five business days (Monday to Friday) of classes.
GEORGE BROWN
Classes at George Brown College will resume on Tuesday, November 21. Students should return to the same timetable they were following prior to the strike, returning to their scheduled Tuesday classes.
Assignment due dates and rescheduled exams
- The earliest possible date assignments will be due is Friday, 72 hours (business days) once classes resume.
- Cancelled exams will not be rescheduled any earlier than Friday, 72 hours (business days) once classes resume.
Revised calendar
- Classes begin: Tuesday, November 21
- Holiday break: December 25 to January 5
- Classes resume (fall semester): January 8 to January 19
- No classes - marking week: January 22 to January 26
- Winter semester begins: January 29
- Intersession week: February 26 to March 2
- Winter semester resumes: March 5
- Winter semester ends: April 27
- Spring/Summer semester begins: May 7
- Convocation: June 11 to June 15
HUMBER
Legislation ending the faculty strike was passed by the provincial legislature today.
The strike is over and classes will resume as of Tuesday, November 21.
Faculty are set to return to campus on Monday, November 20.
The key modifications to the 2017-18 academic calendar are as follows:
- All Humber and University of Guelph-Humber full-time, continuing education, online (day, evening and weekend) and corporate training classes will resume as of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, November 21st.
- The last day of classes will be December 22nd, not December 15th as originally published.
- No classes, exams or tests will be held between December 22, 2017 at 6 p.m. and January 2, 2018 at 8 a.m.
- Fall semester courses continue into January. The first official day of classes will be Monday, January 8th. The last day of fall semester courses will be Tuesday, January 23rd.
- Winter semester classes will start on Monday, January 29th.
- There will be no reading week from February 19th - 23rd.
- The last day of winter semester classes/exams for all students will be Friday, April 27, 2018
SENECA
Classes in our full-time programs will resume on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
Fall semester
- The fall semester is expected to resume on Tuesday, Nov. 21 and will extend to Friday, Dec. 22.
- There will be a holiday break from Saturday, Dec. 23 to Monday, Jan. 1 with no classes, tests, exams or assignments due from 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 to 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
- The fall semester will start again on Tuesday, Jan. 2. and will end on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
There may be special considerations for students expecting to graduate this December. Please contact your student adviser if this applies to you.
Winter semester
- The winter semester will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 17 and will end on Tuesday, April 24.
- Study Week will run as planned from Monday, Feb. 26 through to Friday, March 2.
Assignment due dates and test dates for full-time programs will be revised and shared with students when you return to class. There will be no tests on the first day back.
SHERIDAN
Sheridan confirms that the provincial government has passed legislation to end the college strike.
Academic employees will return to Sheridan on November 20, to prepare for classes to resume on November 21.
More information will be shared via Sheridan email.
DURHAM COLLEGE
Durham College is pleased to welcome faculty back to work Monday, November 20 and students back to class on Tuesday, November 21.
- Fall semester classes will continue through the week of December 18 - 22, 2017.
- The holiday break will be from Friday, December 22 at 6 p.m. - Monday, January 1, 2018.
- Fall semester classes will resume on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 and will end on Monday, January 15, 2018.
- The winter semester will begin on Monday, January 22, 2018.
- Winter semester classes will continue through reading week and therefore the regular break previously scheduled from February 26 until March 2, 2018, is cancelled.
- The Family Day weekend will be extended to include Tuesday, February 20. The college will be open this day, but classes will not run.
- The winter semester will end Friday, April 27, 2018 as originally scheduled.
No exams will be rescheduled any earlier than two business days following return to class. Similarly, the earliest possible date that assignments will be due is two business days following return to class. For example, if classes resume on Monday, the earliest an exam could be scheduled or an assignment could be due is Thursday.
INFORMATION TO COME ON "HARDSHIP FUND"
The Ontario government has asked colleges to put aside the money they saved during the strike to help students in financial hardship.
Advanced education minister Deb Matthews told reporters Sunday that she estimates it will amount to about $5-million.
Matthews say the government will have more information "very soon" on how that fund will be distributed to students.