Officials at one Nova Scotia university have raised the ire of some students and community members.
StFX University is facing criticism since students learned they’ll be required to sign a waiver before they can return to campus in Antigonish in the fall. The waiver releases university officials from liability for COVID-19-related injury or death.
Andy Hakin, the president of StFX, says there isn’t a zero-risk scenario.
“We understand that, we see that, and so in putting out the waiver, we wanted to be transparent about that with our students- they have a physical choice to make about whether or not they’re comfortable coming back to StFX and the community,” he says. “We didn’t want that to be slipped in somewhere so that people would find it and be shocked by the approach.”
Hakin says it’s required because insurance providers are not going to cover COVID-19 claims in the upcoming year.
He says the legal language is severe, but he wants to be straight forward.
“We are there for them- it does not absolve, in any way, the responsibly of the university to create a safe environment for everyone on campus,” he says. “(That includes) students, faculty (and) staff.”
There are a pair of online community information sessions on the plan for students to return to campus Wednesday.
