Students give a glowing review to the refreshments provided during a stressful time
During the fall examination period, the Faculty provided students with free snacks, coffee, and tea at stations set up around the school. Items such as fruit, pastries, and granola bars were offered from the start of exams on December 7 up until exams moved online on December 16.
There were three tables set up in the atrium and in the basement near the classrooms. Attendants were on standby to pour tea and coffee for students in order to ensure limited interaction and adhere to distancing requirements imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative was largely successful with many students expressing gratitude for the free food amid an especially stressful time. The effort to bolster spirits among the student body was furthered by a variety of activities including puzzles and colouring sheets made available by the Bora Laskin Law Library.
For Sabina Haque (2L), being able to rely on the tea and treats when she arrived at school made spending entire days at the library more bearable. This was a common sentiment among those who spend multiple hours studying on campus during the exam season.
According to Associate Dean Christopher Essert, “the administration had been trying to bring coffee into the building over the whole fall, but the going was tough.” The idea to offer coffee and snacks during exams was initially suggested by Assistant Dean (Academic) Sara Faherty, who had seen the practice at another law school she previously worked at.
“Lots of folks in the Facilities team, including in particular Annette Henry and Jennifer Colvin, worked really hard to make this happen, and we were all so glad to see how well-received it was,” added Associate Dean Essert.
The desire to provide free food at the law school during exams was a major topic for the Students’ Law Society (SLS). Student Life and Academic Committee (SLAC) 2L representative Noa Rapaport brought up the so-called “coffee issue” at multiple fall SLS meetings as she thought it would be a “real pick-me-up.”
“What is the deal with the closest coffee being a 20-minute round trip away? Luckily, the SLS Executives brought the issue up with admin. Snacks and coffee seem small but I think they restored–at least temporarily–some form of community that most students hadn’t yet seen at the law school,” stated Rapaport.
What Rapaport and the SLS had in mind was a small coffee station, so it was quite the pleasant surprise and a kind gesture on behalf of the Faculty to not only provide beverages, but include a variety of high-quality snacks.
It is unknown whether the Faculty will bring the initiative back during Winter term exams. However, the amount of positive feedback received shows widespread encouragement to continue the program in the future.
