to think students are being treated worse than prisoners?

[RopeGoat]

So, many students are currently being locked down.

1. They're paying up to £10,000 for their accommodation. A 8x12ft room that they aren't permitted to leave.
2. Their key cards have been blocked so they're physically held against their will despite having no symptoms and no actual contact with anyone who has tested positive.
3. They're only in the accommodation because universities insisted classes would be face-to-face and that they must move to campuses. Only to told days after arriving that it's all online.
4. Some universities are providing food but it's unhealthy, out of date and massively overpriced. University of York charging £10 for a sandwich, packet of crisps and a chocolate bar.
5. No access to tests because all the tests available to them are drive-through. The vast majority of students don't have cars and they can't carpool or get a taxi for a Covid test. Universities are actively refusing them tests to reduce the numbers so they look better.
6. Charged £30 for a load of laundry - which is more necessary than normal in order to try and reduce the spread of Covid.

I could give many more examples. Surely this is unacceptable treatment of any group in our society? I'd be outraged if prisoners were being treated like this (so would many others) so why are so many (not all) people not standing up for students here? What can we do to help?

@nosswith

Testing should be available. Raised by one of the MPs for Hull. No idea if Mr Johnson's government will do anything though.

Should have tested the students as they arrived at Uni so as to identify those taking covid in and isolating them more quickly before they could spread it widely. But that's common sense!

Or even better, instead of money grabbing accommodation rent, they should have been more honest and encouraged students to stay at home if their course didn't need on site Uni facilities.

Yes but if I had to self-isolate I would have my house, family company, decent food and would be allowed to order food from supermarkets and takeaways. All this is denied the students
Utter tragedy that is. 2 weeks without crap food, not being able to spend 24h with parents they otherwise couldn't care much to interact with. Yes, that is oh so tough, poor poor souls!

I'd rather save my sympathy for healthcare workers self usokating in places without their families to protect them, for some much longer than 2 weeks so that they can continue to work and save life.

Not all unis are doing that. The only support my son's flat have had is a pack of bog rolls left outside the door.

If this is the case then he should absolutely complain.
All the universities I know well are putting a huge amount of resources in place to support students.

@dontdisturbmenow

Yes but if I had to self-isolate I would have my house, family company, decent food and would be allowed to order food from supermarkets and takeaways. All this is denied the students Utter tragedy that is. 2 weeks without crap food, not being able to spend 24h with parents they otherwise couldn't care much to interact with. Yes, that is oh so tough, poor poor souls!

I'd rather save my sympathy for healthcare workers self usokating in places without their families to protect them, for some much longer than 2 weeks so that they can continue to work and save life.

It's not "just 2 weeks" though is it? It'll be a succession of 2 week isolations as not all the students in each hall/flat will catch covid at the same time. My son is one of 8. He's in isolation because 1 of them caught it. The other 7 havn't. As soon as they come out of isolation, one of the others will catch it and they'll be isolating again.

Utter tragedy that is. 2 weeks without crap food, not being able to spend 24h with parents they otherwise couldn't care much to interact with. Yes, that is oh so tough, poor poor souls

Well I would hate to be stuck in a room on my own for 2 weeks.

And if I were ill, I'd definitely want my mum (or dad) to look after me.

It's not "just 2 weeks" though is it? It'll be a succession of 2 week isolations as not all the students in each hall/flat will catch covid at the same time. My son is one of 8. He's in isolation because 1 of them caught it. The other 7 havn't. As soon as they come out of isolation, one of the others will catch it and they'll be isolating again

And this, too.

Or even better, instead of money grabbing accommodation rent, they should have been more honest and encouraged students to stay at home if their course didn't need on site Uni facilities

This too.

Wow. How bizarre. It this total exaggeration or just unique?

My daughter is at Birmingham. It’s not like this at all

Her flat mate caught it and everyone had to be tested. They walked there, outside but wore masks. They quarantined altogether although not all of them tested positive. I ordered food shop to be delivered (Which she shared) plus a big box of sweets. Just in case, organised for my daughter a delivery of cold medicines, thermometer etc.

Well I would hate to be stuck in a room on my own for 2 weeks.

They are not just in their room or on their own. They are in their living bubble. So 6 or 8 students isolated together and allowed to mix in their bubbles common areas.

@ZombieFan

Well I would hate to be stuck in a room on my own for 2 weeks.

They are not just in their room or on their own. They are in their living bubble. So 6 or 8 students isolated together and allowed to mix in their bubbles common areas.

For some their only "common areas" are a small kitchen (4 chairs around a 4 person small table - for 8 of them), or the narrow hallway. So basically, it's their own room!

I don't know any universities where it is as you have described. I think you're making most of it up OP unless you can tell us where you are talking about. The part about tests only been available by drive-through is particularly false as evidenced by the fact that so many students tested positive. Every University I know of has a testing site on campus now. It's probably easier for them to get tested then everyone else.

It's absolutely nothing like this at many universities. At our local one the campus is a bit quieter than usual but students are doing pretty much what they want - just not allowed to have parties etc.

So glad i'm not a fresher now. Or a gcse or A-level student

Try living in an otherwise low risk area university town.
I can't safely go to buy groceries...........

@venus22

Try living in an otherwise low risk area university town. I can't safely go to buy groceries...........

Yes, in quite a few cities people are under increased restrictions because of the rise among students.

1. They are paying for accommodation like everyone else

2. They can leave when they want despite what people claim

3. They're getting free food, something many vulnerable people don't get. Besides there's nothing stopping them putting in an online order

Theyre not prisoners by a long shot.

So let's put jobs and prisoners on a spectrum of discomfort.

HCP - Some HCPs 'forced' to provide health care with no or expired PPE at the start of the outbreak, isolating from family and, to me, treated poorly.

students - For those who have to isolate, will it be for c1% of their studies? If they isolate then they generally have netflix, video games and food of sorts plus Zoom to contact home for no marginal cost, so recreation much like the last 6 months unless they have significant MH issues. When not isolating then pretty much normal activities without the hard partying and socialising.

prisoners - I have to say you seem to underestimate how badly prisoners are treated in the UK, OP, to an offensive extent.

Not to tar everyone with the same brush but were there three UEA students looking at £10k fines by partying in their 100s instead of isolating?

dontdisturbmenow you win dickish comment of the day award.
What’s wrong with you ? Only enough sympathy for one group of people a day?

@jdoejnr1

1) They are paying for accommodation like everyone else

2. They can leave when they want despite what people claim

3. They're getting free food, something many vulnerable people don't get. Besides there's nothing stopping them putting in an online order

Theyre not prisoners by a long shot.

1. they are paying over the odds for substandard accommodation 2)That is not the case for all universities, especially the larger ones
2. have you seen the food ? I wouldn’t feed it to a dog and online shopping is proving hard to come by for many of them because of high demand .

We are hearing about the worst case scenario. I have two nephews and a niece at university and none of them are experiencing this. According to their parents none of their friends are being treated like this either.
Perhaps it's happening in a few cases but I think it's been exaggerated.

It absolutely has been exaggerated in lots of cases.
I know journalists have paid students to make signs, I know journalists have chosen to film students behind metal fences so it looks like they're locked up when there was green open spaces less than 100m alway.... I could go on!

The vast majority of universities are investing a lot of time, staff and resources to support students. I have spoken to a number of institutions as part of some research I'm doing and have discussed this in detail.

Where support isn't present then a complaint is justified but let's not start from the default position that universities are not supporting students because that's certainly not the case.

I have 5 nieces and nephews at various universities all over the country. I work at one, as does a sister and another niece. This is not the experience of all students or even many students.

The MMU (not Manchester University) story was blown out of all proportion. Students were able to get food deliveries with priority slots from Asda and were also able to get takeaways. Security staff advised people not to leave but couldn't stop them. The delays in testing were due to national delays.

Most universities are providing food parcels, room service for catered halls, have negotiated priority food deliveries, are still delivering post, have organised laundry services and are putting additional support services in. Staff volunteers are delivering food parcels and doing phone checks on students regularly to ensure they have what they need

Several universities have their own testing services, others have negotiated mobile, walk in centres in their main student areas on a temporary or permanent basis

Some students have been rather naive, some have got caught up in the media buzz and others have vast senses of entitlement. Just like any other large group of people suddenly in the spotlight

DIFFERENT UNIS= DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES!

Different accommodation =different experiences....

Some uni accommodation is fab... With a large communal kitchen /living area... One I know... You can fit all 14 people in it... Others are utter rubbish... Small kitchen where 3 people in, its crowded.... I'm sure they'll have v different experiences...

Some students are really struggling... Some are drama llamas...

New vs established students... Very different experiences...

If any student is truly LOCKED up,... Please get legal advice.... Rather than just asked to isolate as you are positive....

Newspapers sometimes/often lie /massage truth

What @Rosebel, @SueEllenMishke and @CarrotVan have all said.

Newspapers sometimes/often lie /massage truth

Nooooo !?!

The reality is universities are now having to operate as a business. The very lucrative conference season did not happen, overseas students who bring in a huge amount of money are not enrolling (and Brexit had already been a massive game changer- UK was no longer a desirable destination for EU students). Of course students went back, no students means no money.