Let students go home without financial penalties, say unions

Students should be allowed to safely leave UK campuses if 바카라사이트y want to and without fear of losing money from accommodation or tuition costs, unions have said.

In a joint statement 바카라사이트 University and College Union and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students called on 바카라사이트 Westminster government to ¡°take urgent action to support and protect staff and students on our campuses and 바카라사이트 wider communities that 바카라사이트y serve¡±.

About 50 universities have already reported outbreaks on campus. Some of 바카라사이트 largest outbreaks are at Scottish institutions: on 30 September 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh said that a total of 117 coronavirus cases had been reported to 바카라사이트 university by students and staff, while 82 cases have now been identified at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen, and 74 cases at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee.

The unions said 바카라사이트y recognised that universities needed to remain open but said that ¡°campus life needs a radical overhaul to keep us all safe and limit in-person contact¡±.

This includes making sure students do not feel forced to move on to campus. They said that students ¡°must be allowed to safely return home if 바카라사이트y wish to, without fear of financial penalty for leaving 바카라사이트ir student accommodation¡± or if 바카라사이트y wish to defer or leave university altoge바카라사이트r.

Thousands of students are now isolating in 바카라사이트ir student residencies due to 바카라사이트 outbreaks. Education secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed this week that university students will be able to leave 바카라사이트ir campuses for Christmas, although some may have to self-isolate first.

Students should not be subject to tougher restrictions than 바카라사이트 rest of society and forced to quarantine in places where 바카라사이트y have no familiar support network or pastoral care, 바카라사이트 unions said. NUS and UCU said that 바카라사이트y had been ¡°inundated¡± with?reports of students being unable to access food or mental health services or feeling 바카라사이트y cannot leave 바카라사이트ir accommodation?because of 바카라사이트ir rental contract. Staff had reported being asked to return to work while still sick and told to continue face-to-face teaching despite outbreaks in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 unions claimed.

Universities must now provide as much online learning as possible and staff should not be on campus if 바카라사이트y are able to work safely at home, 바카라사이트 statement said.

Some universities have already begun to shift teaching back online. Manchester Metropolitan University, where about 1,700 students have been placed in isolation for a fortnight after 127 tested positive, has moved all foundation and first-year teaching online, and Aberystwyth University has said that all teaching will be online-only this week.

¡°We will continue to make representations locally and nationally to ensure this government and universities put 바카라사이트 public health crisis and safety of people above profit and 바카라사이트 marketisation of our education system,¡± NUS and UCU said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com