To: All students From: coronavirus.information@durham.ac.uk Subject: Covid-19 Update 01.05.2020 To be issued: Friday 1 May 2020, mid-morning
Dear student,
This email contains important updates on Covid-19. Please take the time to read it carefully.
Latest decisions and updates from Durham University · Changes to frequency of Covid-19 email updates · Government update · No detriment policy · Serious Adverse Circumstances and Examination Deferral Process · May/June 2020 online assessments – reminder · Postgraduate research tuition fees and scholarships
Further details: Changes to frequency of Covid-19 email updates
We hope that you find the Covid-19 email updates a useful source of important information. We want to make sure that we're finding the right balance between providing you with updates when new information is available and not overloading you with information.
From Monday 4 May, we will send email updates once a week, unless there is an urgent update.
The changing nature of this situation means the day we will email you may vary, but please be assured we will keep you updated.
We will continue to update our FAQs( https://www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/faq/students/ ) and if you have a question, please continue to send these to coronavirus.information@durham.ac.uk.
Government update
Yesterday the Government announced that the UK is past the peak of the virus and that next week they will set out a plan to begin to get the economy moving, children back to school, and people back to work. Our response will, of course, continue to be guided by the government’s guidelines and restrictions.
In the meantime, please continue to take care of yourselves and your families and friends by following the Government’s restrictions to limit the spread of Covid-19: · Stay home · Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (and only if you cannot work from home) · If you go out, stay two metres (six feet) away from other people · Wash your hands as soon as you get home · Do not meet others, even friends and family.
Further information is available from Public Health England( https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england ) and the NHS( https://www.nhs.uk/ ). If you are outside of the UK, please continue to follow local government guidance.
No detriment policy
We’re sorry we were not able to provide students who are sitting assessments this summer with an update on the no detriment policy on Monday 27 April as originally planned.
We understand that this is a challenging time for many of you and we apologise if this has caused you additional worries.
Please be assured that we are continuing to work on the proposals for this policy, which will be discussed by the University’s Senate on Tuesday 5 May. We will provide you with a further update following this date.
If you have any further questions please visit the Frequently Asked Questions( https://www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/faq/ ) section of our dedicated Covid-19 webpage. More information about the no detriment policy for degree classification can also be found here( https://www.dur.ac.uk/student.registry/assessment/covid19/classification/ ).
Should you need any additional support during this time, please contact your College via the details in this link( https://www.dur.ac.uk/colleges.se.office/studentsupport/ ).
Serious Adverse Circumstances and Examination Deferral Process
Yesterday, you received an email( https://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/coronavirus/Allstudentemail30.04.20.pdf ) about our Serious Adverse Circumstances and Examination Deferral Process.
This email sets out the various measures the University is putting in place to help protect your degree. We hope that this information will help you determine if any further action is required on your part in relation to your forthcoming examinations or summative submissions.
Help and support in the decision-making process is available from members of staff in your College and Department(s) and webpages( https://www.dur.ac.uk/student.registry/assessment/covid19/sacs/ ) have been created to help you to access further information.
May/June 2020 online assessments – reminder
You should have received an email that was sent to students on Monday 27 April with further information and guidance about the May/June 2020 online assessments. If you have not yet read this email, please do so.
A copy of this email and other information about the revised arrangements for the May/June 2020 examinations can be found on the Student Registry web pages( https://www.dur.ac.uk/student.registry/assessment/covid19/ ).
Postgraduate research tuition fees and scholarships
We’re mindful that the current Covid-19 situation presents postgraduate researchers with many challenges in progressing their research projects and that uncertainty around the effects of the pandemic on the completion of their degrees is generating anxiety.
We have already announced that we will waive tuition fees for extensions to the period of supervised study arising from the impacts of Covid-19 and we’re looking at mechanisms for further support of postgraduate research students that address individual needs and treat students with different funding arrangements fairly.
UK Research and Innovation has recently announced the availability of funded extensions for PhD students they support who are due to complete their supervised studies up to 31 March 2021.
We are reviewing, together with partner institutions in Centres for Doctoral Training and Doctoral Training Programmes, the implications for match-funded scholarships where the University or a project partner pays a proportion of the funding.
We will provide a further update as soon as details have been agreed.
Conclusion
As we head towards the May/June 2020 assessments we are continuing to work hard to provide you with the necessary arrangements, information and support to help you during this challenging time.
Remember, if you have any questions you can contact our Incident Control Centre, details of which can be found on our dedicated webpages( https://www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/ ). You can also contact your College support office by phone or email if you need additional help.
Please continue to take care and we will provide you with further updates in due course.
Best wishes,
Claire O’Malley Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global)
All Covid-19 email updates issued to staff and students are available online at: durham.ac.uk/coronavirus