Some of our young people are half way through their degrees (2019/20 intake): lockdowns on repeat, light at the end of the tunnel with vaccinations (?) and the legacy of COVID-19

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose is all I can say!

DH actually works pretty closely with quite a few US universities, and we have several friends who work for them too. It looks like some (mostly northern) will absolutely insist everyone is vaccinated, while others (mostly southern) will claim that they have no legal authority to require vaccination, and just not bother.

As a result Covid will not be going away anytime soon, but as long as staff/students have been offered it then there is absolutely no reason they can't go back to fully in-person next semester.

Given how much university costs here, I think people will start suing universities soon if they're not back in-person.

Bit of a clarification...

As a result Covid will not be going away anytime soon, but as long as staff/students have been offered the vaccine then there is absolutely no reason they can't go back to fully in-person next semester.

This article in The Times may be insightful for those of you who have young people who dabble in cryptocurrency, stocks and shares, etc. Clearly, it's very much a thing. Hope the link works for you.

Is the Indian variant causing issues where you are @ZZTopGuitarSolo?

It is rather telling that most of the hospitalised cases in Indian covid hotspots are among people who were eligible for the vaccine but decided againt being vaccinated.

If all adults are to be vaccinated by the end of July, in line with the roadmap for unlocking, then there’s no reason for September/October to not be face to face.

True @Benjispruce3 except for the fact that academics have clearly got a taste for working from home.

How are all our lot doing in their exam cycle? DD is 2 out of 3 down, open book 24 hour window for submission (for different time zones) - and no “no detriment” this year so a bit more jeopardy! All her housemates in the thick of it for the next week or so, but on the upside DD’s performance activity is back doing face to face rehearsals and putting on their show in the theatre albeit without an audience (they will livestream it).

DD's first exam is next week. She is in full revision mode now. I don't think they have a no detriment policy this year though.

DS is mid-way through summatives this week. I'm assuming they're his last of this academic year but he's not being very communicative at the moment so can't be definite. No feedback to date.

Sorry, it's from the DM, but here's an article about UK universities continuing Zoom lectures etc. into the autumn term of the upcoming academic year. As much DM reporting is second-hand news fished from other sources (including MN), I daresay there will be similar in the broadsheets. I haven't checked The Times today as yet.

last week of exams for DS, seem to be going ok. He's picked his modules for next year too.

Seems like Bath is opening at least tutorials and campus for f2f, so I'm not sure how it'll help to have lectures online. More convenient for some and allows international students to watch (but they're recorded anyway I think). You'll still have a lot of groups mingling (tutorials, library, halls, bars etc) so I can't see it cutting transmission much.

I think keeping some aspects of university learning online is less about the students and more about keeping the academic staff happy. I am sure after initial 'blips' with technology, they've mostly decided by now that they prefer the potential extra time working from home. I think it's quite usual for academics to not necessarily live as close to 'campus' as the university support staff (as a rule of thumb - clearly there will be exceptions).

Those of you with dc going on a placement year this summer, have you applied for student finance? I seem to remember reading about a reduced tuition fee that will be paid but not sure and do they get any sort of maintenance at all?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18

I think keeping some aspects of university learning online is less about the students and more about keeping the academic staff happy. I am sure after initial 'blips' with technology, they've mostly decided by now that they prefer the potential extra time working from home. I think it's quite usual for academics to not necessarily live as close to 'campus' as the university support staff (as a rule of thumb - clearly there will be exceptions).

Yes. My dd uni sent out an email which includes a short para on uni staff requesting to work at home and how that would impact on tutorials would follow. FFS. That’s not covid is it? That’s a work preference.

Re the placement year, if it is unpaid, then I think they can claim the maintenance loan (definitely can for the year abroad).

@MarchingFrogs Do you know if they have to apply for tuition fees? The placement is paid, I just wasn’t sure whether they get anything extra, any small amount helps.

They have to apply each year for loans - I don't know whether they can claim a maintenance loan if the placement is paid, I'm afraid (DD is about to go on a study year abroad, so is entitled to the maintenance loan).

@Shimy when my DD did her year abroad the uni was paid a small fee which seemed to have nothing to do with whether or not she was being paid. I don't know whether this is uniform across all settings. The maintenance loan for the year was more than the usual amount to take care of travel costs. I think you should look to her uni for advice.

Oh I need to check if DS has done the application for next year. Will check over the weekend.

Logically if they're being paid a living wage during their 'year in industry' you really wouldn't expect young people to be given the option to take out an SF loan for subsidence? However, nothing about the loans is very logical (I still don't understand why they're not all eligible for the same money regardless of parental income - something that is still under the radar of many families until their first child applies for the loan when it comes as a big shock!).

DMIL asked me the other week about one of her friends DGD's getting married to get the best out of going to university. I couldn't for the life of me think why that would 'mug the system' finance-wise (they are apparently a very money savvy and well-off family). However, some comments recently on WIWIKAU would suggest that it does give financial advantage in terms of loans!!!

To be honest it’s not really the maintenance loan that is of concern it’s the tuition fees. We’re worried he will return next yr to be told, ‘you didn’t pay fees last yr’ so you're off the course” or something like that. DS will speak to his uni about it and probably SF as well.

@Shimy a quick Google showed this:

"As a placement year is part of your academic course, you will continue to be supported by the University and you will need to pay a tuition fee for the placement year. However, the fee is much lower and will not exceed 20% of the standard annual University tuition fee."

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 Re: Mil comment, I actually interpreted that as meaning, the to be weds ‘met at uni’, so in a roundabout way, mil implying getting the best out of uni = meeting your soulmate there.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 Thank thank you so much. I knew I read something to that effect back when he firmed it but just couldn’t figure out where. He’ll get on to SF.

@Shimy no it was definitely implied that it was based on getting the most out of the situation financially (MIL not well off - her friend very well off - clearly some 'tension' there despite their friendship which goes back years?). I suspect there was an element of bragging/smugness about the comment that annoyed MIL (hence her asking the question!). I spent quite a lot of time telling MIL that I could think of no benefit, only to read the almost 'throw away' comment in a WIWIKAU post (it was almost said as a joke) - and then the penny dropped!

Ah! So there’s a back story there. Right, I’m clearly with you in that I’d never have picked up on that ‘advantage’ between student loans and weddings if I hadn’t like you, read it somewhere. Humans are just interesting!