StFX Explains their Choice to Keep Exams In-Person, Despite Outbreak

Despite the rise in COVID cases on campus StFX has decided to continue with in person examinations, this has left students with many questions.

Many students are concerned about attending exams in person with a large number of students during a coronavirus outbreak on campus. I spoke with Elizabeth Yeo regarding this concern. She said “We have been in direct contact with officials from NS Public Health and will be adhering to the protocols they have established. Public Health has determined that exam settings are low-risk environments for COVID-19 transmission.” She says they will ensure safety by enforcing mask wearing, ensuring physical distancing and screening for COVID-19 symptoms. Yeo also said that “laboratory-confirmed positive COVID-19 cases are required to isolate and therefore cannot attend an in-person exam.”

Yeo noted that although many students and faculty are concerned about StFX’s plan to proceed with in person exams but there are also other members on campus who support the original plan of in person exams. StFX has been working with NS Public Health and she says, “they have assured us that proceeding with an in-person exam schedule can be done in a safe way.” Administration also understands other perspectives and so they have allowed for faculty members to proceed with in-person exams, as scheduled, or will allow for faculty members to move to a take-home format and have allowed for the option of taking exams in January. If students decide to take their exams in January, they will not need to return earlier than scheduled, but the start of winter term classes might need to be altered for those individuals to write their exams. They are still working on this decision.

Additionally, many students have had concerns that this could be a new variant, as our campus community is experiencing an outbreak while many of us are double vaccinated. When asked if this was a new variant Elizabeth said, “Some people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will still get sick because no vaccine is 100% effective.”

During these uncertain times, if students are struggling with their mental health, there is a collaborative care team of physicians, nurses and counselors at the StFX Health and Counseling Center who are available to help students. There is also online support at Togetherall, TAO self-help, Good2Talk and the Crisis Text Line.

Ultimately, with the end of the Fall semester, it’s important that students follow Public Health’s guidelines and work together as a campus community to get us back on track for the Winter term. Stay safe!