STUDENT CAUCUS
Monday, April 6, 2015 3
Impairment or Improvement?
The four best and worst ways the strike affected
Student Caucus
lauren katz ›
1l student caucus representative
A
s a Student Caucus representative and
1L student, I found myself thrown into
discussions in a context I hadn’t contemplated in my legal education: a labour dispute. In my personal political adventure on Student
Caucus in the midst of crisis, I partook in Osgoode’s
quest for exemption from the academic activity ban
and for the holy grail of remediation plans. Along the
way, I learned about the best and the worst of what
the strike has brought upon Osgoode Hall.
4. Our Plans Were Altered
The Worst: Student Caucus got side-tracked. Lots
of projects pick up the pace in second semester after
data has been gathered and meetings have gotten
meatier. We probably won’t accomplish as much as
we had wanted due to the disruption.
The Best: The strike was a catalyst to getting some
crucial concerns on the agenda. This is especially true
for 1L concerns that were summarized by the 1L reps
just before the strike started. Mental health? On the
docket. Lecture recordings? Got it. Critical reflection
on course content and exam parameters? In progress.
Concerns that professors might not have addressed
until preparing for their fall courses are being taken
seriously now. The policy window is open and drafts
of student-led reforms—we hope—will follow. We
have a precedent for student-led discussions to shape
academic decisions, and this can only be encouraging
for student government going forward.
3. Mental Health Mattered
The Worst: “The strike happened but it didn’t really
affect me,” said no Osgoode student ever. Our academic year was abruptly disrupted. We all felt it. We
lived day by day, waiting for the next update. Was
the time off a saving grace for catch-up or a trap to
study in vain? Only time would tell. Student Caucus
members kept busy with meetings, collecting student
concerns, and figuring out the next steps to advance
student interests. We ended up missing out on nine
days of legal education we paid for. “But no one cares
about that,” said one solitary soul, in a daydream of a
land where law school is free. I think it would be safe
to say that for many students the days of cancelled
classes were characterized entirely by anxiety, frustration, and TV shows, and this seriously cramped
our academic abilities.
The Best: Students’ mental health became a clear
priority in the development of academic plans and
policies. It was top of mind at Student Caucus meetings and at the heart of students’ contributions to
Faculty Council discussion. Where it was truly crucial, though, was in the deliberation between Student
Caucus, the Osgoode Strike S