UWindsor and St. Clair College helping students displaced by Westcourt Place fire
'We understand that they've been through quite a life-altering moment,' St. Clair College official says
Nearly one month since the Westcourt Place fire in Windsor forced more than 200 residents out of their homes, St. Clair College and the University of Windsor have been helping students who have been displaced.
The college says it's been supporting about 12 students, while the university says it's been helping seven.
Students at both schools are receiving up to $750 in financial support, but schools say they've been working to help students beyond that as well, especially with exams on the horizon.
"We understand that they've been through quite a life-altering moment and not having anywhere to live," said Michael Silvaggi, the associate vice-president of student services and the registrar with St. Clair College.
"That's going to have an effect on someone physically, mentally and the whole bit. So, as we approached our exam time, we've been doing everything we can to ensure that these individuals had some sort of sanity in this time of unknown."
Some temporarily sleeping on couches
Ryan Flannagan, the associate vice-president of student experience at the University of Windsor, said some students stayed in a hotel for a few days but have since moved out.
"In many cases, students were basically sleeping on friends' couches ... And that was OK for I think a week or so, but then it became untenable just because that's very challenging," he said.
Both Flannagan and Silvaggi said that at this point, as far as they're aware, all of the displaced students have a place to stay at this time.
A few students are being put up at a university residence for two weeks to get them through the exam period, Flannagan added.
"Hopefully, by that point, they can get back into their building, and if not, then we'll have a conversation with them about coming up with some type of payment plan," he explained.
The college has also been able to place some students in on-campus housing for the time being.
Exam time support
Being displaced is challenging enough, but for the students, it adds "another level of stress" Flannagan explained.
"As a student, if you've got some assignments to do, or you got to study for exams and you don't have access to your place, where are you supposed to do that? How are you supposed to write that assignment?" he said.
Some students have also reached out to say that they're behind on school work because they've been feeling "scattered and unable to focus" with everything else they've been dealing with.
Flannagan explained that professors have been understanding and have been working with the students to accommodate them appropriately.
Silvaggi said that at the college, students have access to learning support staff to help them through the exam period if any accommodations are needed.
"These are extenuating circumstances and when extenuating circumstances are at play, there's a variety of things that we can do to help a students," he added.
Flannagan explained that the student emergency fund is designed for moments like these, in order to help students get through tough situations and help them succeed at school.