Not allowed to go home at the weekend, not allowed to mix with students outside your bubble, not allowed to have parties, maybe not allowed for Xmas?

[chomalungma]

I really feel sorry for students at Uni in Scotland.

Those students who are feeling isolated. Those who just want some fun and to experience student life.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-54285720

And break these rules and you could lose your university place

@Daphnise

I think it's much more important that students are being given second rate tuition, and universities are just getting away with it.

Considering that it is more time-consuming to deliver tuition online, I'm not quite sure what they are "getting away with".

@Aragog - genuine question as an academic who was well aware of all of these problems back in Feb/March and cares about students - what did you think it was going to be like??? its not a dig - but yes, but i would like to know more about student assumptions. From the point of view of unis - yes that was exactly how we assumed it was going to be and thats why personally I would never (and have never) recommended that students move back into their halls/rentals and do f2f this year. The system as it is set up - will isolate and atomise i.e. its a lockdown but you are a kid and on your own.

How did parents assume it was going to be? Everyone knew the autumn/winter was going to have a 2nd wave (well we never finished the first but whatever) i.e your kids was going to be in lockdown but on their won. 75% of our students came to London and honest to god I have no idea why.....it will be lonely, cold and miserable. I am sympathetic but realistically I am not going to be back on campus until October 2021 and neither are any of the other permanent (well paid and research focused) colleagues so whilst I will try and help my tutees the reality is that am not stepping foot on campus until this blows over. And I live in Zone 1 and can literally walk to work. Crucially - my mangement is not forcing me too. So why the students and their families thought it was a good idea for them to come is beyond me

and I get why universities need them to come but I would never have let my kid (especially a fresher) come to London to st\rt uni stuck in their halls for the whole year as London goes into yet another lockdown.

zurich09

We were daft enough to believe the information on the university's page for her course, under the "Covid arrangements.'

We were told there would be 60% f2f as it is a practical subject normally with lots of hands on engagement, lots of group activities, etc. They were saying the blended learning would be 60/40 in favour of being in university and still having group activities. However, the reality from this week is - there isn't. There are 2 sessions a week f2f. Everything else is online.

Everything on SM was all bout how they were looking forward to getting the university fully open, welcoming students into university, how the SU would be open, how this and open spaces on campus would be back open, etc. The reality is that they may be open but there is one chair per table in the cafes, ec. The SU have no f2f events on during induction week. There are 2 virtual ones for an hour each.

Maybe its better in student halls as at least everyone is in the same boat mainly - all first years, all new, etc. But absolutely no effort has been made to engage those who haven't been able to get a room in halls.

Everything on SM from the universities, and from the Government, was about having students into university, into accommodation, moving to new places... not once did anyone point out that it would be lockdowns, minimal f2f, better to stay put and access from home.

If we'd been told before we had to pay a ton of money for a year long contract that it would be almost entirely online and there'd be pretty much no opportunities to get to know your fellow students, then at least DD could have made an informed decision to stay home and at least then be able to see her friends here at home.

So why the students and their families thought it was a good idea for them to come is beyond me

Because everything from the universities after results day has been about coming to university in person. Not once has ANYONE from the universities (and DD has friends in a range of places across the country) or the Government said they should, or would be advised to, stay home.

I still don’t understand why whole buildings are being kept in isolation.

Most are saying they are in blocks of flats. If you are not a student and you live in a flat, and someone in a different flat catches Covid, you aren’t told to self isolate. It only refers to the people in the flat, not the entire building.

And isn’t self isolation supposed to last for 14 days after you are in contact with someone who has it? So what if on day 14, another student in the building catches it, isn’t everyone else then back to day one again?

Patricia Perch? A young carer? Where's the relevance to how well they will manage away at uni for the first time?
Would love go hear the reasons you would stamp as valid.

I think the whining is justified. You can going shopping for any old bit of tat or frippery because it is safe enough to go shopping, meaning that hundreds of people come into contact with each other, but a student can’t attend lectures?

I have no complaints, as dd is in private rented and her lectures and seminars are running. But for the young people being put under these restrictions it must be horrible.

I should reiterate that Dd hasn't whinged or complained at all.

It's is, her parents, who feel utterly fed up with the rubbish situation her and her friends are experiencing despite being encouraged to go away to university by the various universities and the government.

They should have been told the truth about what it would really be like.

I understand the sentiment of shrugging over people’s lives being damaged by coronavirus after they all allowed austerity to happen to the vulnerable for over a decade.

But that isn’t the fault of a bunch of 18 year olds who weren’t even old enough to vote for an austerity government.

You don’t know anything about me, and I don’t feel like being goaded into telling you my austerity misery memoir.

You don’t have to apologise. Everyone’s emotions are running high because it is just one bad thing after another.

@Aragog I think I’d prefer her in with other first years. Although you know her best...

My son is at a city Uni in England and in private University approved halls. He’s in with 6 other first years (mixed) and they’re having a great time. All out together in a bubble. There is now CV in their halls however. So they’re choosing to self quarantine until the one who was exposed to the positive case can be tested/gets symptoms. I’m impressed at their responsible attitude.

I think being with other first years is key. My son is an easy going party boy and would have been so miserable in the set up you describe. I hope you can get something sorted for her.

@zurich09 Not quite sure how academics can justify “not setting foot in the campus until October 2021.” As a secondary teacher who teaches 17 year olds every day I’d say get on with your job! You can’t do it properly fully online. Hopefully the rest of your profession isn’t as smug about it as you. You might find money talks and you’re pressurised back sooner than you’d think.

They need to refund tuition for all uk students for the whole year.

I feel sorry for them. Uni life is supposed to be fab.
Not only are the Government at fault here but the universities are too : see the post below where they promised dd 60% face-to-face tuition, the student union will be open etc......and none of those promises have been fulfilled.

But the Saint Andrews 40 people party is just poor.

I'd want a refund!

It's really worrying times for so many at the moment.

If anyone feels it would help to know how many cases there are each day in their local council, or indeed in the local council of their childrens' universities, you are most welcome to sign up for my daily emails at www.covidmessenger.com.

Over the summer I was exasperated with the lack of easily accessible data available about cases locally and so I started Covid Messenger with the goal of providing crystal clear info on what is happening locally without having to look up websites and tap in postcodes for every area I am connected to - where you live/work/ kids go to school and university/where relatives live.

Each day I compile the latest number of lab-confirmed, positive coronavirus cases across the country into a bitesize email – one for each district council in the UK – and deliver it straight to your inbox.

If it helps put your mind at rest to keep up to date with local developments you are most welcome to sign up. www.covidmessenger.com.

I have had such fantastic feedback. Its been a lot of work but the feedback has made it so worthwhile. For us its helped us feel more comfortable with our DD returning to school and we also feel reassured that we will know if cases start spiking locally - I definitely dont want to wait to hear about that in the national news as we would want to take start taking extra precautions before that.

Goingdoolally

I'd definitely prefer her with other first years especially right now, but accommodation round here isn't plentiful for students.

I emailed the student accommodation at the university to see what's what and to see if there's a waiting list to join, incase things don't improve. We'd have to look at her contract though as it's probably now tied in for the year. But told Dd any of that though - it can just be there as a possibility perhaps.

And I guess we could see if within her click any other flats have free rooms in the ones where people are talking and being sociable. Though until next week we might not know as not everyone is around just yet.

And if It all goes online I guess we may see about bringing her home so she can at least socialise with her boyfriend and home friends back here.