Nipissing student sit in
A group of Nipissing University students held a sit-in at the President’s Office for 17 days during the faculty strike.

A  group of Nipissing University students have ended their sit in at the office of the president Dr Mike Degagne.

The sit in started over two and a half weeks ago weeks ago.

Lauren Edwards spoke for the group after delivering their message to the president.

She says they will now picket with the faculty who remain on strike.

She says this dispute is about governance and the administration has drawn a line on the sand by not negotiating seriously on the issue.

Edwards says they are holding the faculty at ransom.

As for the meeting with the students, Dr. Degagne says it wasn’t really a meeting as the students delivered a statement.

He says they have been neutral during the sit in and that changed on Wednesday when the students made a declaration by joing the professors on the picket line.

Edwards, meantime, says they have been impacted already with the loss of the reading week, the shortened Christmas break and financial concerns because they are paying for an education they are not getting.

Dr Degagne says one of the key stumbling blocks is the running of the university.

He says he’s not concerned with the faculty being involved in governance, but is concerned about the faculty union being involved in governance.