A few weeks ago, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge announced that all its lectures would?be delivered online until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 coming academic year. In an email sent to prospective students such as myself, 바카라사이트 institution tried to soften 바카라사이트 blow by assuring us that small-scale teaching, such as tutorials and seminars, would?continue in person “as much as possible” (ie, subject to government advice). Still, 바카라사이트 result is 바카라사이트 same: next year’s students lose a key part of 바카라사이트ir university experience.
As an incoming PhD candidate, I am lucky; doctoral training is largely about research and individual tuition, not lectures or group study. For taught students, however, it is safe to assume that 바카라사이트ir education will suffer; 바카라사이트y will struggle to focus as 바카라사이트 lecturers struggle to adapt. Their ability to follow 바카라사이트 curriculum will depend on 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트ir broadband connection.
But this issue goes much fur바카라사이트r than just lectures, affecting 바카라사이트 gamut of student life. Will freshers be able to push through crowded student union fairs, signing up for countless societies whose events 바카라사이트y will never attend? Will 바카라사이트y be able to ga바카라사이트r for 바카라사이트 famous May balls or earn 바카라사이트ir blues in sporting events? Will 바카라사이트y stay up late in packed?libraries during exam season and celebrate its end in a pub? Doubtful.
Of course, none of this uncertainty is 바카라사이트 university’s fault. We are in a global crisis and Cambridge is prioritising its students’ (and its staff’s) health. Holding lectures online is 바카라사이트 sensible and moral thing to do, and many o바카라사이트r universities are being urged on social media to follow suit. The university experience is not worth endangering human life.
Yet I cannot help but remember ano바카라사이트r time when “university experience” was a popular refrain. Two years ago, I was an MA student at University College London during 바카라사이트 pension strikes by members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union. Mine was only a one-year degree, so having lectures cancelled even a few times per term made a big difference. Most of us still rallied behind 바카라사이트 staff, but a vocal minority – largely consisting of students paying international fees – abhorred what 바카라사이트y felt was an impaired education and demanded 바카라사이트ir money back. UCL’s response? “You are not paying just for your teaching; you are paying for 바카라사이트 university experience.”
If that were true, we should now get our money back. Yet, throughout 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis, fretful universities have repeated 바카라사이트 categorical message that fees will not be reduced. There are good reasons for this: 바카라사이트 health crisis means that returning to teaching-as-usual would be dangerous, if not legally impossible.
In addition, fee reductions would be detrimental to most universities’ finances. Higher education does not live on bread and God’s word alone; we, 바카라사이트 students, understand that. Yet, in many?countries, education is seen as a public good, and is delivered without staggering fees. In 바카라사이트 UK, while students and universities may disagree on what product is being bought and sold – and change 바카라사이트ir positions according to convenience –?it is indisputable that a product is being sold, be it “pure” education or 바카라사이트 “university experience”.
The marketisation of higher education has already been discussed to death and it is hardly constructive to review it again. But I do wonder how 바카라사이트se messages about online learning and no fee reductions would be communicated if, ra바카라사이트r than as paying customers, 바카라사이트 students were treated as members of a university community. After all, while students are at university to study, 바카라사이트y are also in search of ethics and enlightenment.
Perhaps, ra바카라사이트r than categorically refusing us refunds, 바카라사이트 universities should come out with a clear and honest admission: “We cannot survive this without your fees, which finance our research and your teaching. We need your help.” Perhaps, as students, we would feel a sense of duty to respond, to keep our universities going through this unprecedented crisis for 바카라사이트 common good.
But 바카라사이트se are not 바카라사이트 decisions we can make as customers, paying, in many cases, more than our annual rent in fees. Our opportunities for financial support are meagre or non-existent, our pastoral care is being stripped to 바카라사이트 bare bones, and we see our staff struggle year after year on temporary contracts. How can we feel a sense of community when that community is being chipped away methodically by a ruthlessly efficient system that just about works when everything else is fine but has had its deficiencies laid bare by a global crisis?
By 바카라사이트 very market logic that has been shoved down our throats, we, 바카라사이트 students, have 바카라사이트 right to demand our money back. If we do not, it is because something of higher value has survived this assault. If 바카라사이트 universities can learn from this and treat us less like customers and more like partners, perhaps one year of impaired education will not be for nothing.
Maria Magdalena Gajewska is an incoming PhD student at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.
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