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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Another year online?

785 replies

Ellewoods20 · 05/05/2021 17:42

Despite the easing of restrictions in June, some universities have informed students that lectures will remain online in the next academic year. What’s the point? :(

OP posts:
Newgirls · 10/05/2021 19:34

[quote FHOJfinf18]@Newgirls no the difference is that there is no teaching over the summer months so it's not a question of re-opening after June. There is nothing to re-open - the year is over. The discussion here is about September and not June. When it comes to September no one knows whether social distancing will be brought back in September no matter what Boris says now.

Plus the last time I checked whilst businesses are allowed to re-open - no one is actually forced to. It's a choice that every business makes for themselves i.e. exactly what unis are doing[/quote]
Agree. Because they have income regardless of whether they open more fully or not. Shameful.

DelBocaVista · 10/05/2021 19:38

@Newgirls

Yep universities are special in all ways - in their reluctance to find solutions and open up!
Well a number of us have explained what we're doing and why but absolutely nothing is good enough- I'm unsure what else we can do.
titchy · 10/05/2021 19:41

Teaching will be over in June. What exactly do you want us to open? ConfusedThe thread's about September in case you'd missed that.

dreamingbohemian · 10/05/2021 19:43

Students are not a captive audience next year though -- they can decide not to return. And then universities will definitely lose money. So the odds of a university planning to offer only online are pretty slim, they know they will lose students and thus money.

I don't understand why people are insisting universities reopen in June when there is no teaching in June.

Etulosba · 10/05/2021 19:45

Whole industries are preparing to open up fully in June - hospitality, airlines, theatres etc but unis are somehow different. Only different in that they get funding anyway.

Airlines still haven't a clue what they can offer their customers in the near future, just like universities.

I have a booking with an airline. I received this last week...

Following the latest announcement from the government about the new traffic light system, we're carefully considering what this means for our flights from all parts of the UK. That way, we can make the right decisions for our customers and give you the most up-to-date information. As vaccination programmes continue, we look forward to further positive news about where we can fly to in the coming weeks.

If your booking is affected in any way, we’ll be in touch with you soon. We kindly ask you to hold off from contacting us and wait for us to get in touch with more details as soon as we can.

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 20:44

@Etulosba difference is the airline will give you a refund if can't provide the promised service.

IntoAir · 10/05/2021 20:54

And anyone who believes anything Johnson says needs her head examining.

FHOJfinf18 · 10/05/2021 21:00

@mumsneedwine exactly......that's why unis are trying to underpromise and overfulfil. just like the airline industry.

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:03

@IntoAir but I do believe Whitty and Van Tam. Who also seem to cautiously believe life is returning to normal.
And if I'm able to back in school with 2,000 humans, no masks and no social distancing from Monday (& most staff not vaccinated), then I still fail to see why my DD can't have f2f full time from September (await the schools are not Uni comments. I know Covid behaves differently once it enters a school).

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:08

@FHOJfinf18 over fulfil would be amazing. Just one f2f lecture next year would be better than the current offering..

DelBocaVista · 10/05/2021 21:14

I await the schools are not Uni comments. I know Covid behaves differently once it enters a school

You're being very unfair with this comment.
Not one of us had said that. We've explained that the government and the DfE set different rules and regulations for universities which explains why you are in a school teaching without social distancing and the vast majority of university staff have been unable to do anything similar.

titchy · 10/05/2021 21:18

[quote mumsneedwine]@IntoAir but I do believe Whitty and Van Tam. Who also seem to cautiously believe life is returning to normal.
And if I'm able to back in school with 2,000 humans, no masks and no social distancing from Monday (& most staff not vaccinated), then I still fail to see why my DD can't have f2f full time from September (await the schools are not Uni comments. I know Covid behaves differently once it enters a school). [/quote]
Thing is mum, I think you'll find most people agree with the way schools and teachers have been treated. We're not fucking stupid - we know covid doesn't know if it's in Art History level 5 or KS 3 English. We know teachers are having to teach large groups with no distancing. We know that's an awful risk that CEV teachers are taking. We hate Gavin's exam u-turns etc etc etc.

But frankly you lose our sympathy when you effectively tell unis that if you can do it we should to. Even when we patiently explain the differences - including the legal framework we operate under.

I'm sure you've had enough of all the teacher bashing and having to explain why it's shit for teachers and kids alike. It's the same for uni staff. Shit for us and our students.

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:18

@DelBocaVista I know. And my anger is directed at the stupidity of the rules. I just hope Unis play by the new rules in September and return to normal if allowed. That's all our kids and us ask. A return to normal.
Meanwhile I'll go back to playing Russian roulette with my own health on Monday. Anyone seen the school in Derby with over 100 cases ?,

FHOJfinf18 · 10/05/2021 21:20

@mumsneedwine covid does not behave differently but society does i.e. society behaves differently depending on whether you teach f2f or we do. thats the big difference

and we all hope life will be back to normal in sept

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:21

@titchy I have only asked why things can't return to normal in September, if rules say they can. How is that bashing anyone ? But I've been told it's due to international students and SAGE giving different advice so Unis planning for another wave. Why ? Everyone else is planning for normal. Why can't our kids have that too ?

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:24

@FHOJfinf18 so why are so many Uni staff on here saying they are not planning for normal in Sept ? Surely that should now be plan A.

DelBocaVista · 10/05/2021 21:27

[quote mumsneedwine]@DelBocaVista I know. And my anger is directed at the stupidity of the rules. I just hope Unis play by the new rules in September and return to normal if allowed. That's all our kids and us ask. A return to normal.
Meanwhile I'll go back to playing Russian roulette with my own health on Monday. Anyone seen the school in Derby with over 100 cases ?, [/quote]
The thing is your posts don't read like you're angry at the rules. It's just appears like a stream of insults at university staff .....

This being a prime example

I await the schools are not Uni comments. I know Covid behaves differently once it enters a school

I have huge sympathies for teachers and school staff ( I'm a governor at a secondary school and have a child a primary school) but it is completely pointless comparing schools and universities because there is nothing university staff can do about the fact we have different rules.

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:28

And as a teacher I wish more people in education had supported us in getting vaccinated earlier. Most of us are not protected but we are expected to be in cramped, unventilated, unmasked rooms next week. No other profession is expected to do this. When I then have to comfort my own child as she has struggled with on line all day every day, now has eyesight problems because of this and is being told this will continue next year I hope you can understand my frustration with the stupidity of the rules.

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:32

@DelBocaVista every time I mention schools I get a barrage of replies explaining to me how they are different. Some have been incredibly patronising. They are both places providing education. But apparently I'm now a key worker - without the protection of one.
My DD is expected to get the same standard in her exams as years who have had contact with their teachers. She is scared and worried as the proctoring software doesn't always work. That is on the staff - they could have made this bit easier for the students after the crap year they've dealt with.

titchy · 10/05/2021 21:34

@mumsneedwine

And as a teacher I wish more people in education had supported us in getting vaccinated earlier. Most of us are not protected but we are expected to be in cramped, unventilated, unmasked rooms next week. No other profession is expected to do this. When I then have to comfort my own child as she has struggled with on line all day every day, now has eyesight problems because of this and is being told this will continue next year I hope you can understand my frustration with the stupidity of the rules.
We're all frustrated. Thanks We would all like things to be normal in September. Hopefully they will be and your (and my) uni dcs will have lots of good quality in person contact.

Let's also hope that appropriate restrictions do remain where necessary though. I'm sure no one on this thread would want their dcs or lecturers sharing a non-socially-distanced lecture theatre with a bunch of overseas students newly arrived from countries with high infection rates who haven't quarantined...

DelBocaVista · 10/05/2021 21:35

I hope you can understand my frustration with the stupidity of the rules.

I absolutely do. I really do.

But I'm done with the academic bashing.

I hope you all have a more positive experience next academic year.

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 21:36

@titchy 😂😂😂 what you mean like I'm doing next Monday. We have kids from India coming back in. Sorry, if I can do it then so can Unis.

titchy · 10/05/2021 21:51

[quote mumsneedwine]@titchy 😂😂😂 what you mean like I'm doing next Monday. We have kids from India coming back in. Sorry, if I can do it then so can Unis.[/quote]
And do you think it's safe for them, you or your other students and their families?

titchy · 10/05/2021 21:51

[quote mumsneedwine]@titchy 😂😂😂 what you mean like I'm doing next Monday. We have kids from India coming back in. Sorry, if I can do it then so can Unis.[/quote]
And do you think it's safe for them, you or your other students and their families?

mumsneedwine · 10/05/2021 22:04

@titchy Nope. But we are just following those rules. Kids have apparently quarantined (no idea why any one wouldn't). It's stupid, we all know it's stupid but schools are 'covid safe'. The magic tape on the floor keeps the virus away.
No masks, no distancing, large gatherings, lots of learning. It can be done. Scary yes. But I do it for the students.