Mount A students urged to stay close to campus during strike
Professors can't respond to emails about assignments, but students can still ask questions at the picket line
The Mount Allison Students' Union is advising students to stay on or close to campus while faculty and librarians are walking the picket line.
Tuesday marks day two of the strike at Mount Allison University in Sackville.
"A strike can be done at any point," said Emelyana Titarenko, president of the Mount Allison Students' Union.
Although many students have gone home, she said the strike could end at any time and students should be ready to return to class within 24 hours.
All classes at the University are suspended until further notice.
Students have been stuck in limbo, but they can still continue with their studies.
Many services still available
According to the Mount Allison University website, the University remains open and all other buildings and services are running on regular hours. The Music Library opens at 1 p.m. instead of 9 a.m. from Monday to Friday.
The R. P. Bell Library is still open, even though librarians aren't working to offer assistance.
But students can read books and journals there. They can also use the computers.
And although professors might not be allowed to respond to student emails, some have invited students to the picket lines if they have any questions about readings, Titarenko said.
Before the strike, many students also received emails from professors about what they should be working on during the strike.
"Just to give them a clear direction of what they should be doing," she said.
Mount Allison Students' Union is remaining neutral in the strike but will be advocating "a timely return to classes for all students," the union said in a news release Monday.
The student union said it will push for a tuition rebate program, depending on the length of the strike.
WATCH: This is why Mount Allison University faculty are on strike, and what students have to say about it.
A variety of emotions
Titarenko said there's a mix of reactions from students, often based upon how far along the student is in their education.
"Some are very annoyed at the situation and others, I think, are taking it one day at a time."
"Students are a lot more anxious and frustrated because they don't know how long the strike will last and how much of their learning will be affected by this," she said.
The students' union is also available to support students, including answering any questions that might come up.
- Mount A students anxious as strike deadline looms, says student union president
- Classes suspended indefinitely at Mount A as faculty and librarians begin first day of strike
"At the end of the day, being advocates for our students and toward the goal of coming back to classes as soon as possible," she said.
Some activities are also planned, such as dodgeball tournaments and an information session about the strike.
Members of the Mount Allison Faculty Association last went on strike in January and February 2014.
It lasted three weeks, with students only able to return to class after the two sides agreed to settle their outstanding issues through binding arbitration.This time, the two sides have been using a provincially appointed mediator.
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With files from Information Morning Moncton