It’s reported that 17-21 are spreading the virus now , should Universities open ??

[Charliescar]

Just that really ??

I don’t see why schools should shut if Universities can stay open .

I think that students are far more Likely to spread the virus that students at school.

Uni life with no random snogging sounds sooo sad

Uni life without random snogging sounds pointless!

Good point about the pub crawls but they did tend to be the sort of pubs other young people frequented and not your MNer having dinner with their kids!

This is pretty heartless - are you also banging up the 3% of the population (not based on age) who are exceptionally medically vulnerable? And what about the much larger ‘flu jab’ group?

I don't think anyone is talking about 'banging up' groups of people. However, if you are in a group which is at high risk from a certain illness, doesn't it make sense that you take extra precautions to protect yourself?

I don't think it's 'heartless' to ask if there is a limit to what can be demanded of young people, who on the whole are at very little risk from the virus, and who have already sacrified so much.

My DD has just gone to uni and the rules are so strict in halls and in the town. Far more controlled than if at home. They are told v clearly if rules are broken there will be fines etc.

Most things are online so lecturers and support staff etc very low risk compared to many other jobs.

Unis provide jobs and economy for some towns and will lead to real issues if the students all stay home.

If gov actually cared about this potential issue they would put decent testing facilities in all unis. Which they haven’t... far easier to blame students...

I don't think it's 'heartless' to ask if there is a limit to what can be demanded of young people

Nor do I.

The comment I found heartless was the one about pensioners staying in. Banging up was my phrase, but if you’re going to ask the elderly (who are not the most vulnerable) to separate themselves from society, it amounts to the same thing. And it’s wrong.

There could be an issue at Christmas when they all go home

I don't know if the unis have thought about this but they really should be extending halls/college accommodation to be 39 week if it's not already, and keeping it open during the vacations for anyone who can't or shouldn't go home. I assume they won't be needing accommodation for the usual round of conferences and courses.

@ErrolTheDragon

There could be an issue at Christmas when they all go home

I don't know if the unis have thought about this but they really should be extending halls/college accommodation to be 39 week if it's not already, and keeping it open during the vacations for anyone who can't or shouldn't go home. I assume they won't be needing accommodation for the usual round of conferences and courses.

Lots do this anyway. International students don't always go home for Christmas and students who have been the in care system don't necessarily have somewhere to go.

48/51 week contracts are pretty common.

Yeah but it's around £150 a week average so not cheap.

Private halls are a massive rip-off, irrespective of Covid.

I really really hope my university age son is able to go back and have some semblance of a normal university life. It's all very well saying 'it's only a few months of their lives', but it is their one and only university experience and (unlike my fully funded generation) they have taken on huge debt to go.

The virus is here and will spread every time restrictions are lifted, so we have to find a way to allow as much normal life as possible. It's not very edifying or helpful to trade off groups of people - selfish young people vs self-sacrificing old people /self-sacrificing young people vs selfish old people. We have all had to give up some things and we are probably all selfish to some extet in what we think other people should give up to make our choices work out better.

Universities need to reopen and unlike this government have spent months working out how they will do this as safely as they can.

Most unis make a lot of money from on campus accommodation and need students back in person to balance their books. Students need access to academic libraries for specific material - this just doesn't exist in local libraries. Remote teaching last term was pretty woeful, and access to books was even worse.

The student experience next year wont be great anyway, but if they have a wholly virtual experience from home one could expect the drop out rate to be huge. It really isn't fair to expect students to pay fees and then sacrifice their education.

We also have no idea of how many of them have already been exposed to COVID. I expect the students in my household may have been exposed earlier this year as they were coughing like mad when I picked them up in March. They think it had already gone through their halls but no one got tested.

The comment I found heartless was the one about pensioners staying in. Banging up was my phrase, but if you’re going to ask the elderly (who are not the most vulnerable) to separate themselves from society, it amounts to the same thing. And it’s wrong.

Why is it wrong?

You're being melodamatic again with the 'seperate themselves from society' line, but surely if you're at greater risk from a disease, it makes perfect sense that you take greater precautions to protect yourself from it? Rather than putting the onus on young people who are at little risk?

How is saying this 'heartless' whereas saying that students should spend months studying in their bedrooms or often non-existent libraries - while of course refraining from 'random snogginng' - OK?

@IcedPurple

This is pretty heartless - are you also banging up the 3% of the population (not based on age) who are exceptionally medically vulnerable? And what about the much larger ‘flu jab’ group?

I don't think anyone is talking about 'banging up' groups of people. However, if you are in a group which is at high risk from a certain illness, doesn't it make sense that you take extra precautions to protect yourself?

I don't think it's 'heartless' to ask if there is a limit to what can be demanded of young people, who on the whole are at very little risk from the virus, and who have already sacrified so much.

Nor do I. We as a society are not going to be able to force every 17-21 year old into compliance. So it would be wise to think about opportunities, distractions and sweeteners that can be provided to them as their freedoms are curtailed in order to guard against a disease they know poses very little risk to the large majority of them. They're not all going to stay inside, however convenient that might be. A sudden increase in the number of young people, especially young males, who feel bored, frustrated and excluded is never a good thing for any society. They need a stake.

Not sure how you can talk about society at the same time as dividing the population

It's a sad reflection of the generation we have raised if they cannot be trusted to help look after the society that supports them

@midgebabe

Not sure how you can talk about society at the same time as dividing the population

It's a sad reflection of the generation we have raised if they cannot be trusted to help look after the society that supports them

What anyone thinks it reflects is immaterial. History and indeed the present shows us that large cohorts of young adults who feel bored and frustrated and don't have anything meaningful to do is a destabilising factor. This has happened and continues to happen across multiple societies, so don't think it's anything specific to ours either.

My dd (3rd yr) has a contract on a flat with her friend she shared with last year. Friend now not returning as all on-line for her plus she has health issues. Fair enough.
DD or friend has to find replacement or friend is liable for her half of rent.
DD has someone who wants to move in who is going into 1st yr of different uni in same city but he cant get out of his (private) halls contract without finding his own replacement 🤷‍♀️
The halls are almost impossible to contact apart from texts demanding first terms money and DD is worried that her ex flatmate will find any old person who will then move into the flat with her.

It's all a total balls up.

@FunnyInjury

My dd (3rd yr) has a contract on a flat with her friend she shared with last year. Friend now not returning as all on-line for her plus she has health issues. Fair enough. DD or friend has to find replacement or friend is liable for her half of rent. DD has someone who wants to move in who is going into 1st yr of different uni in same city but he cant get out of his (private) halls contract without finding his own replacement 🤷‍♀️ The halls are almost impossible to contact apart from texts demanding first terms money and DD is worried that her ex flatmate will find any old person who will then move into the flat with her.

It's all a total balls up.

Can she contact the students union and ask for some advice?

@midgebabe

Not sure how you can talk about society at the same time as dividing the population

It's a sad reflection of the generation we have raised if they cannot be trusted to help look after the society that supports them

Despite what you read on MN about 'teens flocking' here and there, most young people have adhered to the guidelines and have sacrificed a lot over the past several months.

Now people here are suggesting that these young people should stay in their bedrooms and study via a computer screen indefinitely, while at the same time claiming that it is is 'heartless' to suggest that those much more at risk take extra precautions.

For how long, and to what extent, should we demand young people to 'look after' society?

Posted too soon instead of preview

I think uni's need to work together with students about how the year will work for everyone! Atm the students are moving to their cities as most if them dont even know how content will be delivered this year... just that they are still expected to pay for it all

Sue she has and no-one is interested!

The contract for the flat us with a private landlord as it usually is. DD has no clue what her course will entail this year, she should be on placements so will need to be in the area we assume, or I'd try and pull out if the contract by simply not paying I think! The landlords/letting agents have the area all sewn up too, usual scenario in student areas.

@FunnyInjury

Posted too soon instead of preview

I think uni's need to work together with students about how the year will work for everyone! Atm the students are moving to their cities as most if them dont even know how content will be delivered this year... just that they are still expected to pay for it all

All the universities I know and work with published their plans weeks ago and individual student timetables are now available.

If a student hasn't been given this information then they need to contact the institution as it's unacceptable.

@FunnyInjury

Sue she has and no-one is interested!

The contract for the flat us with a private landlord as it usually is. DD has no clue what her course will entail this year, she should be on placements so will need to be in the area we assume, or I'd try and pull out if the contract by simply not paying I think! The landlords/letting agents have the area all sewn up too, usual scenario in student areas.

I'd be complaining- the SU are supposed to support and advocate for students.

And they can do this even with private landlords.... my university doesn't own any accommodation but we still have SU staff there to support students with housing issues

Yes icedpurple 👍

I think student support is overwhelmed for all the obvious reasons.

My dd got timetable today - she moved in at weekend so even if unis have them they aren’t necessarily sharing with students - in case of last minute gov changes possibly