There was a learning curve to succeeding in first-year chemistry for S.D.
“I didn’t do too well on the first midterm, but I was eventually able to buckle down and start learning more study habits and discipline,” S.D. said. “I ended up with a pretty good grade.”
S.D. requested to be identified by the provided pseudonym, desiring privacy and for fear of professional repercussions. Now a third-year student at Carleton University, she said her love for chemistry inspired her to become a PASS facilitator in the Fall 2024 semester.
“I thought I could provide insights to students,” she said. “Not necessarily teaching, but just getting students to come together and work together to improve their chemistry skills.”
Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) was Carleton’s optional instruction program offered in mostly first or second-year courses that students typically found challenging. Weekly study sessions were run by PASS facilitators — previous students who achieved at least an A-minus grade in the course.
After a successful semester as a facilitator, S.D. wanted to reapply for the same position in Fall 2025.
An email from Carleton thwarted her plans.
“They just said, ‘by the way, PASS is being suspended,’” she said. “I was frustrated.”
‘Not a good reason’
Emails from Carleton obtained by the Charlatan and sent to PASS facilitators and PASS course-affiliated professors say Winter 2025 was the last term for the program, which is “suspended effective May 1, 2025 until further notice” due to “resource constraints.”
In a May 9 email statement to the Charlatan, university media relations officer Steven Reid confirmed the program has been suspended as of May 1 due to “financial resource constraints.”
Carleton’s financial deficit is “significantly higher” than the $26-million May 2024 projections, according to a Nov. 8, 2024 statement. Carleton did not respond to questions about whether the PASS program suspension is related to the budget deficit.
All student employees and instructors who had sections offering PASS were advised of the program suspension on April 10, according to the university’s email statement.
“There was no disruption to the delivery of the PASS Winter 2025 program, nor were any student employee contracts impacted,” the statement reads.
Carleton did not respond to questions about why the rest of the student body was not informed about the program’s suspension.
S.D. said she feels the decision to suspend the program due to resource constraints is “not a good reason.”
“I’ve been hearing of many things at Carleton being shut down typically has to do with student resources,” she said, citing course cuts as another example.
‘It’s a loss’
Previous PASS facilitators and attendees expressed disappointment about losing the program.
“I’ve heard for four years now how much it’s helped students,” said a recent Carleton graduate and a PASS facilitator for first-year psychology courses for four years. The PASS facilitator requested to remain unnamed for fear of professional repercussions. “It’s a loss for those first-years, especially those who just need somewhere to go to reassure themselves.”
The psychology course PASS facilitator said they’ve noticed the program helps different kinds of students alike: “all stars” looking for an extra boost in confidence, students “at risk of failing” and students who are nervous to make friends in university.
“They all attend PASS for different reasons and they all gain something from it,” the psychology course PASS facilitator said.
Benjamin Tchang, a first-year industrial design student who used PASS for two first-year psychology courses, said the weekly sessions helped him form a consistent study routine.
“I don’t think I would have done as well in the class without it,” he said.
Tchang attended PASS sessions “almost every week,” with 10 to 20 other students, he estimates. He said the sessions helped him achieve A-level grades in first-year psychology.
“It’s really a shame,” he added about the program suspension.
PASS is particularly helpful for students enrolled in classes with high rates of failure, like engineering, according to a second-year student who was a PASS facilitator for two first-year engineering courses in the 2024-2025 academic year. The PASS facilitator also requested to remain unnamed for fear of professional repercussions.
“I’ve had so many students specifically come up to me and tell me that my mock [exams] or my sessions have saved their ass in the class,” the engineering PASS facilitator said.
Raphael Edafe, a student who used PASS for three of his first-year computer science courses, said he estimates the program boosted him from an A and an A+ grade. Edafe said the mock exams were particularly “impactful.”
“A lot of the time it aligned really closely with what was on my exam,” he said. “For the PASS sessions, asking questions is a little bit easier because the facilitators are specifically there to help you.”
‘The most important thing’
The Centre for Student Academic Support, which operated the PASS program, “will continue to provide learning and writing assistance,” according to Carleton’s May 9 email statement.
“Carleton continues to actively explore new programming opportunities to enhance the academic experience of our students,” the statement reads.
For S.D., however, losing a student mentorship program like PASS means losing the leadership experience that comes with being a facilitator.
She said programs like PASS should be the “most important thing” for Carleton to offer its students.
“I really valued PASS and I thought PASS was one of the things that made Carleton as great as it truly is for students,” she said. “I think cutting down one of those programs is just not needed and it’s very upsetting to hear about.”
Featured file image by Callum Micucci.
