Mohawk College president Ron McKerlie is laying the ground work for a return to classes, whenever that may happen.
He says he’s been in touch with teachers both on the picketline and by email calling them professional, adding they want to do the best they can for their students.
McKerlie says he “has great hope and belief that we can work together and we will be able to get back focused on the students again.”
After nearly five weeks of a strike by Ontario college faculty, it remains unclear when classes resume. The provincial government plans to introduce back-to-work legislation Friday after an attempt was blocked by the NDP on Thursday.
When classes resume, McKerlie says, Mohawk will have extra supports available to help get students back into learning mode including peer tutoring and extra councillors.
LISTEN: Mohawk president Ron McKerlie joins The Bill Kelly Show
“I have great hope and belief that we can work together and we will be able to get back focused on the students again.”
WATCH: College faculty union leader hopes back-to-work legislation enough to get students back to class
The president says “it is challenging anytime you start something, then stop and then restart it; it’s not the best outcome.”
Taking a conciliatory tone, McKerlie says there’s frustration on all sides that “there isn’t a negotiated settlement, but Mohawk has amazing faculty who have concerns for our students and they want to get back into class to get student to their credentials.”
Around 500,000 students across Ontario have been out of class since the strike by 12,000 professors, instructors, counsellors, and librarians began Oct. 15.
The provincial government says if the back-to-work bill is blocked again today, the legislature will sit through the weekend.
With a file from The Canadian Press
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