Tuesday 12-01-2021 - 09:29

As we enter the new term we know that many of you are concerned about the impact Covid-19 is having on your studies. We understand that you’ll be facing many challenges to your education, and that this isn’t helped when you’re worried that the current mitigations won’t allow you to get the grade you deserve.

Last term, we were both in many conversations with University staff about the possibility of adapting a no-detriment policy for this year. This follows on from the no-detriment policy that was in place last year to ensure no students’ grades would be unfairly impacted due to Covid-19. The University responded that using last year’s model was not possible, as a similar no-detriment policy would rely on previous grades, which for most students in 2020-21 were determined by last year’s emergency policy. Instead, they suggested that other mitigations would be put in place.

However, as the pandemic has developed, we know that students this year are at a greater disadvantage than we saw last year. We know it’s important that you are assured now that your grades will be the ones you deserve, and so we have come up with a list of options that together we believe would provide Durham students with the ‘safety net’ you need.

We are asking Durham University to adopt a combination of the following:

A more lenient ‘near miss’ policy. If students are close to the grade boundary, they should be rounded up in a more lenient manner than the policy allows in a normal year.

A model which only takes into account an allotted amount of credits in the yearly average, which would disregard the lowest marks achieved. For example, for undergrads with a total credit amount of 120 in a year, only 80 credits would be counted. 

• To satisfy the University aims this would also include a clause which means that dissertations/final projects must be included in the yearly average. 
• This model can be used to provide a safety net for taught postgraduate students.

Extensions should be awarded without the need for evidence (for example a Doctor’s note) and departments need to be upfront that students can ask for an extension due to the impact of the pandemic. 

Further extensions given to all PhD students with fee waivers, as was done last term.

Ensure difficulty accessing resources is clearly considered. This would mean allowing students to fill in ‘Research Adjustment and Limitation’ forms to outline any difficulties in accessing resources. This is important as many students are no longer in Durham and might not have the resources they need, whether due to library access or because their own resources remaining in Durham.

Uncapped resits available in the summer.

Performance benchmarking. This would mean module averages are compared to previous years and results are changed if necessary. This cannot be done if a module is new this year, which is why we think other measures should also be put in place. 

As your Academic Officers, we will also be presenting a number of further suggestions to the University around your education, which do not directly relate to no-detriment. Some of these suggestions include: 

• Monitor the requirements of postgrads who teach, so we know they are not being overburdened.
• Any contracts for PGRs that have been cancelled due to the latest lockdown should be upheld, so they are not disadvantaged financially.
• Ensuring there is an open line of communication between departments and students to reduce confusion and anxiety. This may include designating a specific member of staff to deal with certain concerns within a department.

If you have any questions or further suggestions about the student 'safety net', we'd love to hear from you. We'll be holding a drop-in on 15 January at 14:00 where you can bring your thoughts. Find full details of the event here.

We know it’s not going to be an easy term, but we’re here to listen to the issues affecting you and make sure the University understands how you need them to support you this term. If you have any other concerns please do contact the relevant Officer or get in touch via our social media pages.

All the uncertainty around your studies or other circumstances may have affected your mental health and wellbeing. That’s completely understandable, and we want you to know that it’s more than okay to reach out for extra support. There’s a variety of options available to suit you, so have a look here to find out more.

We’ll provide further updates on this work as soon as possible, but for now we hope you stay safe and good luck in the new term!

 

We're here to help. Whatever your question, big or small, the Advice Service is here for you through Covid-19.
📨 email: dsu.advice2@durham.ac.uk
💻 online: click here