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Laurentian students looking for public support

Laurentian University students have taken their protest to the streets, hoping to build public support and encourage the school to stay open in Barrie
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A group of Laurentian University students took their campaign to Georgian Drive and Duckworth Street on Monday. Robin MacLennan/BarrieToday

Laurentian University students in Barrie have taken their protest to the streets, hoping to build public support.

"Our petition is doing well, with more than 1,100 signatures so far and we are just going to keep going," said Melle Van Ameron, VP of Campaigns with the Laurentian Student Union in Barrie.

"The number of signatures we have shows that we are getting support from people who aren't just students."

A group of students gathered at Georgian Drive and Duckworth Street Monday morning, carrying picket signs declaring their demands that the university remain open in Barrie until 2019.

Students are urging university president Dominic Giroux and the board of governors to keep the doors open for all current students until they complete degrees.

The university recently announced plans to close the Barrie campus, after the province turned down requests for a stand alone university in the city. Giroux met with over 200 students at a public forum last week.

"We haven't heard anything since then from Dominic ... but we will keep trying," Van Ameron said.

The protest was expected to continue until 6 p.m. Monday and may resume daily for the rest of the week.


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Robin MacLennan

About the Author: Robin MacLennan

Robin MacLennan has been a reporter, photographer and editor for the daily media in Barrie, across Simcoe County and Toronto for many years. She is a proud member of the Barrie community.
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