Ryerson University students report seeing bed bugs in classroom

Ryerson University is investigating the presence of bed bugs in the school’s Victoria Building, after students reported seeing them and being bitten.

“The university is aware of the issue and is currently assessing the room in question; our students have been helpful in bringing their concerns forward so that the situation can be addressed properly,” said a statement from the university’s Public Affairs office on Tuesday.

On Monday night, staff from the Eyeopener, a student newspaper, reported finding bed bugs on a second floor classroom hidden inside the cracks of the tables. They took multiple photos of the bugs and bites a student said they received from them.

By Tuesday afternoon, a notice outside Room 205 on the second floor said that classes were cancelled in the room.

Mike Coutanche, an instructor who teaches at the Victoria Building, said he got emails from his students asking about whether his class on the first floor would happen on Tuesday.

“Well, there’s no caution tape on the front door,” he said.

Some students said that the idea of having bed bugs in the building made them nervous.

“I’m not going to take off my jacket,” said Gino Amboing, a first year student. “I don’t want them to get inside.”

Umair Khan, another student, said he had little choice but to face the bed bugs.

“I can’t just not show up, right? Attendance in classes is mandatory sometimes.”

Charn Gill, a fifth year business student, felt lucky not to have any classes in the building. “Thank God I won’t ever have another class in that building,” he said. “(It’s) ancient.”

This is not Ryerson’s first battle with bed bugs. In 2012, the Star reported that there were eight confirmed cases of bed bugs at two residence buildings on campus. In 1999, the Eyeopener reported that a residence building that housed 400 students was fumigated to rid it of bed bugs.