No uni return til Aug/Sept

[Newgirls]

So Edin and St A have said no f2f teaching til next academic year (apart from med and some post-grad) and students should not be there unless v specific needs. Very sad that this cohort are going through this. I assume English unis will follow?

It depends on the uni finances. Also the type of course? Surely it will be an open market to buy in lecture series from high profile people in the industry. Not having to be on campus throws open the whole market. Eg a Cambridge prof can do lectures for any place they like? Silicon Valley IT lecturers rather than local uni staff? Obvs some face to face is preferable for small groups but the large lectures? Free market.

@threelittlepandas

I am not sure that teaching staff will have much of a say in what happens at uni. Honestly, we are at the bottom of the food chain. My uni are definitely discussing blended learning going forth and am sure they are also eyeing up redundancies.

Yes more a case for unions I think. Maybe all ok this year as so much else going on for too much change.

Certainly my daughter wanted the whole social uni experience too. I very much doubt that students will all of a sudden decide they want to do online or open uni courses(the later of which are not cheap 6k plus a year). I think you can tell how much the social aspect of uni really matters by the amount of students that have returned even though they could have saved rent. It would however be good if unis were required to review their rent charges to ensure they are fair.

The university has found from surveys etc that many students prefer a blended learning approach and want that to continue. They seem to like the use of Zoom and only doing f2f for their practicals. Feedback from staff has also been similar. I also think there are concerns about international students in September and vaccinations and testing.

Face to face teaching at my uni resumes for all courses on 17th of April. Room bookings are going to be busy.

Can you reveal which one?

Looks like Scotland and Oxford and Cambridge are not?

Nope, sorry. Far too outing.

We are planning to have all students return to the university from 12th April. Individual departments will start teaching face-to-face again at some point over the three following weeks depending on their individual needs and plans with most resuming face-to-face teaching on 26th April.

This is subject to various reviews through March and early April.

So we have 17th and 26th for I guess English universities. They are making their own decisions ahead of any announcement?

That's good to hear @phphion. It will be great for all students to be back on campus.

It's not a decision, it is a plan.

Everyone needs time to prepare. We can't wait for a government announcement on a Monday evening and expect to have everything running as normal by the following Monday morning.

So we have set what seems to be a realistic earliest date for us and will prepare in time for that. Should the government announcement change things then we will be prepared early.

@Newgirls

So we have 17th and 26th for I guess English universities. They are making their own decisions ahead of any announcement?

I actually don’t understand. The email seems to state that this is in line with govt easing of restrictions but I don’t see it anywhere in the roadmap. It talks about step 1....practical courses. But then higher education not mentioned in the other steps at all. 🤷‍♀️

I’m so pleased to hear uni students might be back on campus soon

Ok, been back and looked at the email. The university (I assume all of them) have been told the govt will review the situation in the Easter holidays. The university are anticipating the review will be positive and are expecting a return of face to face teaching on 17th April. So yes, a plan rather then a confirmed definite. But they sound fairly certain.

Well Dd is very grumpy. She doesn’t want to go back, says she’s very happy with doing it online. She likes a live lecture, then the call ends and it’s done. Apparently it’ll be a waste of time going onto campus.m🤷‍♀️😆😩

My DS had been told no live teaching until next academic year so he's given up his place in halls and come home. At this point we're hoping it stays online.

Para 90 in here - in other words they promise nothing. I don't think the law is out yet however and the guidance is not law.
"For those Higher Education students that do not need to take part in practical teaching, and do not require access to specialist facilities or equipment as part of their studies, the Government will review, by the end of the Easter holidays, the options for timing of the return of these students. This will take account of the latest data and will then be a key part of the wider roadmap steps. Students and institutions
will be given a week’s notice ahead of any reopening. The Government recognises the difficulties and disruption that this may cause for many students and their families where they remain unable to return to Higher Education settings, but it is necessary to limit thenumber of students who return to university at this stage to minimise travel and manage the risk of transmission. The Government has made available an additional £70 million of hardship funding this financial year, which universities can use to support students impacted by COVID-19"

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963491/COVID-19_Response_-_Spring_2021.pdf

Ok so plans are being made, rather than decisions 👍

We are in limbo too. My department have plans to return to f2f in term 3 they can't be implemented until we get the go-ahead from the government. The Uni accommodation rent holiday for unused lets will end at the start of term 3 unless extended again.

Also many students can only afford rail fares bought well in advance. I bet this hard ship fund will not be paying out to thousands of students facing higher fares because they can only book the week before.

D1 had already booked her train ticket back to university before lockdown for this term and did get it refunded. Debating whether or not to book her ticket in advance for next term, as she could probably not get a refund for it this time. We can't take her as it's too far for a round trip in a day, and term starts before hotels will be open. The university is saying at the moment they expect everyone will be back, but obviously they can't say for sure.

@changi

We are in limbo too. My department have plans to return to f2f in term 3 they can't be implemented until we get the go-ahead from the government. The Uni accommodation rent holiday for unused lets will end at the start of term 3 unless extended again.

Not really any different to all the "closed" shops, pubs, hairdressers, really though is it?

They're all "planning" to re-open on the designated dates, but can't actually finalise anything until nearer the time either.

My hairdresser rang this morning to re-arrange my last appointment (January, cancelled due to lockdown), so I'm booked in the diary, but she made it clear it's only provisional.

Planning an entire term of teaching is not comparable to planning to open a hairdressers. Not even close

@Xenia

Also many students can only afford rail fares bought well in advance. I bet this hard ship fund will not be paying out to thousands of students facing higher fares because they can only book the week before.

They can book in advance and get a refund from Network Rail (or whichever franchise they booked via) if they cancel. No harm in booking twice, on different dates, maybe 2 weeks apart, or a month apart, and cancelling whichever one they don't end up using.