University of New Brunswick students and members of the UNB Student Union are upset over changes to the institution’s residence structure.
In a news release sent out Wednesday morning, the student union said students are “shocked and distressed” at the university’s decision to terminate residence dons.
On February 22, university staff informed students and the student union that the 15 on-campus don positions would be eliminated at the end of their terms.
The new structure will replace the 15 dons, who currently support 12 residences, with three Residence Life coordinators, and a position to support academic needs. The new plan will include senior proctors in each residence.
Student Union president Travis Daley said there was no consultation prior to the announced changes.
“One of the big issues about this is the way that it was done,” Daley said.
The university based its decision on “a quality assurance report that was done two years ago,” Daley said, calling the plan “inadequate.”
“Now we’re supposed to trust the university going forward, that this is the right decision? That’s a big ask,” Daley said.
UNB Student Union Vice-President External Katie Beers said the student union has written an open letter to the university administration.
“[The changes show] gross negligence on part of the university for not consulting students, and once again implementing a change that apparently we just have to live with,” Beers said.
Second-year residence proctor Otilla McLaughlin said she lives in residence and provides support to students. She said she relies on her don to give her advice and support on “bigger issues.”
McLaughlin said the news came as a shock, adding that cutting all don positions is “a big loss.”
“I guess my main concern is they’re eliminating a huge support system for the students in residence and for the proctors,” McLaughlin said.
UNB Associate Vice-President of Student Services Mark Walma said the change is in the best interest of students.
“This is a model that has been followed by a significant majority of the universities in Canada,” Walma said.
He said UNB is one of the last universities to still have residence dons.
“We considered this change over a long period of time – it’s something we’ve thought about thoroughly,” Walma said.
Walma said the cost to the university will be the same as under the current structure.
“We’d love to say it’s saving the university money, but it was done simply because it was the right thing to do,” she said.
Beers said the student union also launched a survey about the changes. She said over approximately 24 hours, 270 students responded to the questions, with close to 230 of those expressing concern.
Comments