Co-op policy change under review at uWaterloo

The Imprint, the University of Waterloo's student paper, reports that officials of each uWaterloo faculty are reviewing a proposed policy change to make the completion of co-operative education mandatory for students who have completed more than 3 work terms. Exceptions to this policy would require approval of the associate dean for co-op studies in a student's home faculty. The associate dean for undergraduate studies in uWaterloo's math faculty says the proposed policy change is intended to stop some students from freeloading off of co-op. The primary reason for the proposal is that students who leave the co-op system stop paying co-op fees, thus limiting the latitude of Co-operative Education and Career Services to acquire jobs for students who remain in the system. In June, uWaterloo's student federation voted against the proposal, with some representatives concerned about the potential impact on students' academic freedom. The Imprint (student newspaper)