So now we are locking our young people up?!

[Emmie12345]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-54833331

WTF is going on? How can this be legal ????

Because it says it didn't prevent students entering or exiting? It sounds like a balls-up from a communications point of view, should have been handled differently absolutely, but they weren't actually locked in.

It isn’t, and well done to the students for dealing with the fence. Although I believe the uni have denied it was for Covid reason but however have apologies.

I’m glad students have finally grow a back bone. The students at the other uni who got locked up took it too politely.

No, we aren't.
And neither was the university if you read the article.
My friend's son is there and, I quote "people are just twats. There are big gates in the fence and anyone can go in and out".

@TheSeedsOfADream so why the need for fences ?

Old news as the barriers are gone. Misguided attempt by the university to put a cordon around the buildings and presumably enforce social distancing - you can walk up to windows of the buildings which are individual bedrooms or communal kitchens in many places. The university has apologised and removed them.

Are you always so dramatic?

@Emmie12345 to stop non students and students that don't live in the halls coming into the grounds and having block parties.
There have been problems with people who don't live in the halls entering through the grounds.

Some unis are really handling all this very badly indeed. First they con students into signing up for accommodation contracts with promises of "blended" learning, F2F etc., and then in reality, most, if not everything is online and there was simply no need for the students to be on campus. Just did it to get them committed to accommodation contracts. At my son's Uni, the lecturers etc aren't even on site, so aren't even there to do minimal F2F teaching. If the lecturers aren't on site, why did the Unis want the students there. Only one reason - money! It's a disgrace and it WILL come back to bite the worst offending Unis on the backside.

Anyone can walk right through the Fallowfield campus as there's no security entrance and it's on a main road.

[quote Emmie12345]@TheSeedsOfADream so why the need for fences ?[/quote]
They are doing building work apparently. I suppose the fences could be for extra security given the area.
But they could go in and out via the gates. They just chose to tear them down instead.

I think op likes the drama as she is also fed up her kids can't do sport to protect people at the end of their life. Even if many vulnerable to COVID are young ir relatively young or have young people who depend on them.

@TheSeedsOfADream - I know this campus well. So glad your son's friend is doing ok. I know other Freshers in this campus not doing very well at all. Pleases don't minimise.

@TheSeedsOfADream

No, we aren't. And neither was the university if you read the article. My friend's son is there and, I quote "people are just twats. There are big gates in the fence and anyone can go in and out".

How is stating the fact that there are big exits in and out minimising? It's factual.

I'm not minimising and I lived there myself for 9 years.
I'm correcting the misinformation. That's all. I don't think students should have been made to go back. I think they should all go home. I don't think they should destroy property.

It was set up to stop ppl getting into the area that have no need to be there. Therefore the aim was to increase security.
Sadly students were not informed in time.

However instead of asking the university and resolving the issue . They put on another stupid protest.

Poor communication from the university.

Also, allegedly the fences were blocking some buildings' entrances and/or exits, which means they very probably completely messed up evacuation plans in case of a fire or similar emergency.
Buildings of that size with that many people living inside typically need all their regular entrances and exits to stay open for evacuation purposes. There usually isn't any "spares" that you can afford to not keep open. They are all required from a fire safety perspective.

Sounds like this was very poorly thought through.

With the cost of fees and student flat rental, you would think the university would be more aware that students are paying customers. After all this isn't the first 'miscommunication' to happen there this year.

I think the Government need to write off Student loans for current cohort of University students. This is all a complete shambles and unethical in so many ways.

@felineflutter - writing off their loans won't solve mental health issues or give them back this time.

No bit it's a start.

*but

@felineflutter - true

@TheSeedsOfADream - minimising is exactly what you were doing. Living on a campus that you say you know, in the First Year, a long way from home and being shut away is traumatic and people will react differently. Some exits and entrances were blocked off and there was no communication / warning. When I lived on this campus many moons ago, we once got locked down for the weekend, for a specific reason. It was before the internet, social media etc. There were posters, and loud speakers everywhere telling us what was going on. So I find you repeating what your son's friend said, quite insulting. The people I know there living this experience are certainly not twats. They are sad scared and lonely young people.

@felineflutter

I think the Government need to write off Student loans for current cohort of University students. This is all a complete shambles and unethical in so many ways.

At the very least, they should reduce the extortionately high interest rates that will be charged on the student loans. But, better still, waiving all or part of the accommodation cost element of the loan would be good. Even better if the Unis would waive the accommodation contracts and allow students to return home and be released from further rental charges for their uni halls/flats. A lot of students are only staying because they know they've got to pay for the Uni halls/flats whether they're there or not.