AIBU to sneak into uni lectures even though i'm not a student

[Lecture]

I am in fact a SAHM . We live in a university town and every Wednesday my DM has the baby for the morning so I get a break. About a month ago I ordered a book from waterstones and picked it up from the university branch. I'd never been on the campus before and couldn't believe there was no security or need to show any student ID. After i'd been to Waterstones I got a cup of coffee at one of the cafes and had a wander round the grounds.

Its lovely there, lots of (cheap) restaurants and cafeterias and you don't need to show ID to use them

The next week I went there for lunch and looked around the library for a few hours.

Today I was wandering around and sat on the bench outside the lecture hall. There were hundreds of students milling around and the lecture schedule on a big flat screen TV on the outside wall. Anyway i watched them going in to each room and there were loads of spaces in the halls (big double doors open so i could see in). Then I was looking at the schedule and there were lots of interesting sounding lectures on. It suddenly occurred to me that i could probably just go in and sit in on one without being noticed by anyone. There were quite a few mature students so I don't think i'd stick out too much.

Now i'm home I think I might be being a bit mental (and possibly a bit post natal) to consider essentially stealing lectures I haven't paid for. I haven't told DH or DM i've been hanging around the uni

AIBU (or do you think I could get away with it)

BTW, can't believe the username Lecture wasn't taken!

As a lecturer I'd be fine with this in the big (200ish) lectures, provided you didn't actually ask questions etc, and I probably wouldn't notice as I don't see enough of some of the big groups to get to know them all. I don't know what the exact official policy is (I suspect it's probably not allowed) and if you came and asked me I would feel I had to say 'no' until I'd checked. Those that are worried about the fact that other students are paying extortionate amounts for the opportunity to attend would probably be as shocked as I am about the cavalier attitude of around 30% of the students who really don't seem to care about attending when they have paid, hence the attendance monitoring by tapping cards. Fine if you can achieve everything without attending but many of them just end up failing and paying again to resit the whole year.
Do look at the University's website though as we have loads of things aimed at local inhabitants and there may be actual mini courses you can join, or groups/facilities you are welcomed to access. FutureLearn is great too.

There is a world of difference between attending a live lecture and going online. These online courses are good if you live in a remote area, are housebound or have restricted mobility. However they are no substitute for being part of a concentrated audience.

As another former university lecturer, I'd like to add my vote to the pile of "happy to have you attend".

OP, you are that increasingly rare thing - a curious person. You sound terrific.

"may, as people have also said, a lot of universities also don't mind, and indeed make it quite clear lectures are open to the public"

..are you sure about this? I know they all do public lectures, and most if not all allow students to attend lectures in different courses, but you are saying that a lot of universities are happy for a randomer to walk off the street and sit in a students lecture? Which university and how do you know?

and why would they put on 'public lectures' when, if as you suggest they are indeed all open to the public?

Technically, as others have pointed out, I am pretty sure they are not all open to the public. In reality, however, it is often the case that access to lecture halls is open (i.e. you don't always need an ID card to access university buildings or lecture halls) and so, in theory, anyone could walk in and attend a lecture, especially big lectures with high numbers of students, as the lecturer would be unlikely to notice. I don't think there are loads of people randomly trying to attend lectures so the question probably doesn't come up that often. I have certainly never had a non-student attend any of my lectures!

The thing is, OP, that although your motives are genuine and innocent, this isn't the case for everyone. Sadly, in other parts of the world universities have been targeted for some horrendous attacks. Universities are already very cash-strapped and if large numbers of people start to stroll in from the street then they will have to divert money away from teaching and facilities into security. Remember that you'll be sitting next to students who have potentially paid £9k per annum for the privilege.

I do sympathise, however, with your desire to use your brain a bit more. I hope that you can find something which suits you.

I do know that, in Cambridge, if you are enrolled as a student at the university, you have the right to attend any lecture you like, in any department or faculty. People who are not members of the university (students or staff) would have to apply for permission to attend a 'normal' lecture but there are also many lectures which are open to the public, and you can just look these up online.

may, yes, I am pretty sure, because it says on the Notes on Courses which lectures are public, and because when I started lecturing, I asked what the faculty/university policy was.

As I said upthread, you are asked to check with the lecturer first.

So-called 'public' lectures are pitched at a more accessible level.

Mopsytop - I do think DH is being rather risk-adverse! But it will depend on individual university administrations and their attitudes towards this sort of thing. He reminded me that when you go into a university cafeteria on his (my old) campus, you're asked if you're a student, staff or visitor, and billed accordingly. As I remember it, I had to flash my ID card to prove I was a student, in order to get the cheapest tariff.

We are both really surprised that someone without ID was able to walk into a library without being stopped, but turnstile systems are sometimes down, I suppose. I had to scan a library card in and out every time I went in, and that was early 90's onward.

Most people wouldn't know the timetables, anyway.

But comparing the UK with countries where universities are attacked doesn't work.
Each university will have assessed their required security level.
Where I used to work in Central London they started implementing front door controls only at some point.
The problem was not random people attending lectures but theft.

Of course, in smaller lecture groups, it's entirely possible that the lecturer isn't doing the 'traditional' format of talking for 55 minutes and expecting students to take notes in silence. With smaller groups, I always tried to break the large bolus of facts up into smaller, more digestible segments, and asked questions/set exercises/formed buzz groups/etc in the intervals between the more traditional lecturing. It makes for much more effective learning. (However, quite hard to do that within the confines of a 60 minute lecture session.) In that instance, the OP might get a bit caught out.

As someone up-thread mentioned, most universities are experiencing trouble with physically fitting everyone on the courses into the lecture theatres, and it's not uncommon for heavily attended courses to have a live video link to another lecture theatre - assuming one is free. That might be another reason why some lecturers would think the OP is taking the piss.

List of MOOC courses (online university-level, unaccredited courses, often written specially for the MOOC scheme as university outreach/'impact'/increasing the profile of the university)

www.mooc-list.com/

YANBU. I am a university lecturer, and if the lecture hall isn't full of students (ie you aren't turfing a paying student out of seat) then I don't see the problem. I work at a Russell Group uni and have never seen security check student ID at any of my lectures. The paying students are paying for marking, student support etc as well as lectures, and by attending you wouldn't be detracting from their experiences, so I wouldn't have a problem with it. Go for it, and I hope you get inspired to do something with what you learn!!

YANBU at all. People did this when I was at uni quite openly and no one had an issue. Whoever upthread was talking about attacks on unis - I've never been aware of one with security checking students either so what difference does a member of the public make?!

OP there's nothing wrong with what you're doing or with taking a spare seat at a lecture. It's not like sneaking into a concert as someone said because lecturers are paid a wage not via attendance, as long as the course is fully subscribed the uni and the lecturer are making the most money they are able so there's no issue, in my opinion .

I'm sure OP is prefectly capable of working out before she plonks herself down whether a lecture is going to be full to bursting or will have extra rows at the back. I can't think of a single one in my whole time at University that had no space and I was studying a very popular subject.

My lectures sometimes have no space.

(Actually, it's nothing whatsoever to do with me, and a lot to do with the inexplicable fascination green knights and men kissing other men have for my students.)

Jeanne, I think I want to sneak in on your course!

I've never been aware of one with security checking students either

Actually the security threat issue is a fair point. I live in a country that has suffered terrorist attacks and we have to show ID, open bags etc to get onto campus. Having said that, university is basically free so anyone who wants to come along can just sign up as a student anyway.

That's what I mean, certainly when I was at uni there was no checking of bags etc so whether you're a member of the public or a student you could equally well have nefarious intent.

I also say go for it!

I work at a Uni and you wouldn't be able to get into any of our lectures unless they are open to the public. We have security barriers to get into the buildings and very scary reception staff. I am also surprised that no one would know how many people were in the building in case of fire etc

As I said upthread there were security checks at the place where I worked after threats from animal rights activists, so it does happen. This was a provincial redbrick university c. 7 years ago.

It's not as interesting as it sounds, glom.

How would security checks work in practice? I move between buildings all the time. I frequently teach in buildings at opposite ends of campus and find it hard enough to get to a class on time, if I have two classes back to back in different buildings. Security checks would take too much time surely? Students also move between buildings all the time. ID access to buildings is one thing (not in place for the majority of our buildings) but security checks would be massively time-consuming, disruptive and expensive, I would think.

You are more than welcome to my lectures. However I don't teach large courses anymore so only teach groups of 20-30. If I spotted you at the back I'd ask you after the class who you were but I'd be totally fine with you attending. However, if you weren't doing the readings or generally following the class, some of the stuff wouldn't necessarily make sense to you (Social Science subject).