Opting out the only option for some Windsor college students

Alex Smusiak'sfamily has been living on a tight budget to help him follow his dream of pursuing acollege degree and a new career, but the five-week faculty strike has put his hopes on hold.

The father of sixhas no option butto opt-out of college this year.

"It's disappointing," he said. "It's a little frustrating, but it could be worse. We could still be on strike or completely lose the semester."

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The Ontario government announced Monday students will receive a full tuition refundif they withdraw from college because of the work stoppage.

ForSmusiakthe lack of communication between the college and the students during the work stoppage was taxing.

"At first it wasn't a problem, but after two or three weeks I started to get a little worried," he said.

His wife was working part-timeand said she could have gotten more hours if they knew the timetable of the strike.

"I was barely getting by going to school," said Smusiak.

Last chance to get in

He was part of a financial program that allowed him to pay tuition weekly, so he expects to be refunded about $500 once he officially leaves the college.

"It was my last chance to actually get in," Smusiak said. "I had other bills to pay, so my savings had dried up and I had already been accepted and starting and I couldn'tget OSAP, so I went to the school and they helped me out by letting me pay weekly."

He plans to return to college again in September, butworries he'll have to buy part of the kit required for his program again.

Smusiakalsoworries about some of his classmates with OSAP loans. He said some may get their tuition refunded, but still owe more money back to the program.

College faculty were ordered to return to work Monday, after the Liberal government passed back-to-work legislation. The 12,000 professors, instructors, counsellors and librarians had been on strike since Oct. 15.

On Thursday, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union challenged the legislation in court. OPSEU's president Warren Thomas said the law violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In astatement released Sunday, the government said all outstanding issues are to be negotiated in binding mediation-arbitration.