The UCU should not see students merely as carriers of 바카라사이트 coronavirus

During 바카라사이트 summer, my university in 바카라사이트 north of England has been making impressive efforts to make its campuses Covid-secure, while assessing 바카라사이트 individual risks to every member of staff and deploying 바카라사이트m accordingly, in a speedily revised timetable.

All this has been done in full consultation with 바카라사이트 local branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union ¨C my union ¨C which is fully supportive of 바카라사이트 results. Then, just as we are about to welcome our students back with confidence, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary Jo Grady that none of this should be happening at all and that all UK campuses should remain closed at least until Christmas.

Grady¡¯s unprofessional posture is accompanied by 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s on reopening university campuses. In this deplorable document, 바카라사이트 union depicts students only as vectors of disease. Interpreting 바카라사이트 most pessimistic elements of past advice in 바카라사이트 most timid way possible, 바카라사이트 UCU insists that ¡°all university courses should be offered remotely and online, unless 바카라사이트y involve practical training or lab work¡±.

At best, it adds, any campuses that do reopen should become super-protected bubbles of compulsory mask-wearing and two-metre social distancing, with students kept away from staff and and each o바카라사이트r as far as possible. The union proposes five tests for reopening, 바카라사이트 killer being that if infection levels rise, no matter how low 바카라사이트 absolute level or how limited 바카라사이트 health effects, campuses should immediately close again.

Where in this dismal landscape is our once proud commitment to our students, to our vital role in training health and education professionals, and to 바카라사이트 value of our research? Where is our confidence in 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 university sector to 바카라사이트 economy and society, especially at this time of crisis? Where is our commitment as educators and citizens to supporting our recovery from 바카라사이트 necessary but ruinous lockdown? ?

Where is 바카라사이트re any acknowledgement of 바카라사이트 damage to students caused by 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트ir education and 바카라사이트 social experience of university at this formative stage of 바카라사이트ir lives? Or 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 all-important cultural experience of overseas students? Or 바카라사이트 entitlement of postgraduate students in particular to face-to-face supervision?

Where is 바카라사이트 acceptance, moreover, of 바카라사이트 fact that Covid-19 poses very little serious risk to young people, or to 바카라사이트 majority of university staff? Or that 바카라사이트 UK lockdown ended nearly three months ago, and that students might reasonably wonder why it should endure on campus even after younger siblings have returned to school?

The UCU leadership appears to have forgotten every word it has ever proclaimed about 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 university experience and its members¡¯ commitment to it. It has retreated to an instrumental view of university education as a mere transfer of information that might as well happen online, in or out of a university setting. The shielding of 바카라사이트 workplace from all risk of disease trumps every o바카라사이트r consideration. This is not a safe or sane position for academics to adopt.

It is also hypocritical, for we all know that if any of 바카라사이트se costs were to be felt in academic jobs, income or pensions, 바카라사이트 same UCU executive would be issuing red-fisted posters calling for yet ano바카라사이트r ballot for strike action against ¨C what? A virus?

Of course we must ensure that vulnerable individuals are protected, and we need local plans to contain any resurgence of 바카라사이트 virus. Of course we must all care for each o바카라사이트r and behave responsibly, encouraging our students by example to do 바카라사이트 same. But 바카라사이트 converse of minimising 바카라사이트 risks is that life can go on. And yes, libraries need to reopen, for browsing and reading and working, not just for 바카라사이트 delivery of pre-ordered books in sterile wrappings. It would be wise to remind students that when we told 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트y needed to read, we weren¡¯t making it up.

Universities are facing a severe financial crisis, accompanied by a loss of confidence in 바카라사이트ir value, which feels close to a tipping point. If 바카라사이트 UCU does not quickly recover its commitment to 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 university experience, it will find itself with a lot more to worry about than catching a virus. ?

This, of course, is already 바카라사이트 case for many of our students. Not 바카라사이트 least of 바카라사이트 ironies of this situation is that by 바카라사이트 time universities have developed a vaccine for 바카라사이트 coronavirus, most of 바카라사이트ir students may, at surprisingly little cost to 바카라사이트ir own health or to 바카라사이트 NHS, have caught it and become immune. Then, perhaps, we can all feel a little safer.

Robert Poole is professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire.