Freshers 2020 - How will this work out?

[SpiderPlantSally]

"Students might have to stay in a 'protective bubble' of the same small group, when the UK's university campuses reopen in the autumn. University leaders suggested students would live and study with the same group to minimise mixing"
Article from BBC News this morning:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52897727
How will this affect student life and help freshers settle? Is it a good or bad idea or just a necessary evil?

Your thoughts?

Though should add - Absence of freshers week may be quite a bonus for some! By no means universally enjoyed, i understand.

The more I think about this the more social distancing on campus in sept/Oct seems unlikely. Most of the uk workforce will be back, furlough will have ended. I think it might be up to individual adults to do their own risk assessment on their interactions with others. With lots of testing capacity now (as low numbers using it) it should be far safer than jan-mar this year. I loathe this gov but I think we will need to make our own decisions else risk job losses.

Dds happy to go this year whatever happens.. Her view is that she's "hopefully" going to be studying a four year course so there's no point in dragging it out... She's very laid back no negativety at all about circumstances.. What will be will be and she'll make the most of it.

Not sure how a bubble would work for dd. Her course has a small number of students (40-50) many of whom are usually from overseas (so physical numbers may be lower initially). They also choose modules from other courses alongside the main subject so would usually mix across them. Her accommodation has already been allocated but presumably they will fill up flats as they go but cannot do so just by subject as chances of combining UK students with same course and preference of accommodation seems low.

Im hearing of students being told that first term will start later - mid october rather than september. Genuine question from me - Why is this considered advantageous? Are universities assuming corona virus will be more likely to be ‘over’ by then - or is there some other reason? Are they getting this advice to do this from the dfe/dhsc?

Or is it because they need extra time to get online teaching ready - although presumably the hardware/software for online lectures/seminars has been put in place for this term already?

Grateful for any elucidation - i dont understand the rationale! Particularly as by oct/nov winter flu will be on its way wont it - so earlier rather than later seems to have something to be said for it as well?

Why cannot university academics/scientists/pyschologists come out.and.say that longterm the safety rules are going to be more damaging to the students.than protecting THEM

My best guess is that I would lose my job if I said loudly my true opinion, that the control measures are too high a price. My employment is already especially insecure. And honestly, I don't want the public criticism that would get heaped on me. Worse, I could be wrong, and cost the Uni millions, I can't take that responsibility. I'm nobody but I work in infectious disease so the Uni is asking our opinions what to expect about the outbreak future. I don't say what I really think, which is that our institution should move to an Open University Model for all of 2020-2021, with corresponding fee reductions. There's no point in me saying that I truly think, nobody else is saying it & nobody will want to hear it.. The Uni is Desperate to get the Chinese students in, needed for funding revenue. No govt. help for our industry.

As a parent I am very adverse to idea of paying £300/week on accommodation for DD to mostly do remote learning if/when she goes to Uni in autumn. I hope her Uni announces Open Uni model, too, she will only be at Uni for 2-4 weeks all of next academic year. Although it's almost absurd plan for her course (medicine).

gosh, why only 2-4 weeks medschoolrat - is the whole of the rest of the time on placements? (Im slightly going off the point of the thread but am interested!)
Can dissection/prosection be done with sd?

It won't work. 18 year olds are rampantly sexually active and won't want to just choose their partners from the bubble!

I'm nobody but I work in infectious disease so the Uni is asking our opinions what to expect about the outbreak future. I don't say what I really think, which is that our institution should move to an Open University Model for all of 2020-2021, with corresponding fee reductions

That's kind of depressing MMedSchoolRat but sort of what I expected. I think that we forget that while most students may not suffer too much from C-19, many more staff than students will be vulnerable.

Universities have a duty of care to their employees, just as much as to their students.

Unis do have a duty of care to their staff - yes - but also most adults will be back in their workplaces in sept. It looks like unis with online lectures, bubbles etc will be safer than many workplaces

It won't work. 18 year olds are rampantly sexually active and won't want to just choose their partners from the bubble!
I have to say, I'm with you on that @Bellesavage
Universities have a duty of care to protect staff and students as much as they can and might well ban visitors to halls of residence, but they can't stop people mixing with who they want outside.

@SpiderPlantSally

It won't work. 18 year olds are rampantly sexually active and won't want to just choose their partners from the bubble! I have to say, I'm with you on that *@Bellesavage* Universities have a duty of care to protect staff and students as much as they can and might well ban visitors to halls of residence, but they can't stop people mixing with who they want outside.

It might be enough of a compromise between ‘mix with everyone’ and ‘mix with no one’ to mainly live with Course mates. Second and third years are likely to be living with friends in their houses so it does sort of limit their contact.

We have to think that intelligent students won’t be complete idiots about this. Round here the teens are sitting in socially distance circles - all quite sedate. I hope they won’t need to be by Oct!

I wonder if nss scores go up if you don't mix with anyone from other courses to compare experiences