Students told they will not receive their degree if they leave Cambridge for lockdown

Students at Jesus College have received an email from the Senior Tutor confirming that any students who return home without the college’s permission will be breaking their term of residence and therefore will be unable to progress into the next year of their course, or graduate if they are finalists.

The Senior Tutor expressed his “concern” at the news that some students were planning to stay away during the lockdown period without permission and highlighted that whilst legislation has not yet been confirmed, the college is expecting the government to want students to avoid travelling home before the lockdown to “reduce the risks of transmission.”

The residency rule was pointed to as justification for this, with the Senior Tutor reminding students that this is a university and not a college rule.

The email did, however, also highlight the necessary steps for requesting permission to remote learn for the rest of the term. The four steps were as follows:

1. “Check with your Director Of Studies that remote study is feasible for your course.
2. Make sure your Director Of Studies is aware and supportive of your plans.
3. Secure supporting medical evidence to study remotely- please note this is a university requirement. This could, for example, be related to increased susceptibility to infectious disease or mental health. If you do not have appropriate medical evidence immediately to hand, please arrange to speak to a Welfare Tutor before you leave. [The Senior Tutor is] happy for medical evidence to follow later, as long as [he] receives it within a fortnight of your departure.
4. Once you have spoken to your Director of Studies and Welfare Tutor in question, email [the Senior Tutor]  cc’ing in your Director of Studies and Welfare Tutor in question to formally request to study remotely for the rest of this term.”

It was also expressed that remote learning can only be requested one term at a time.

The college stated that they intend to share further details of their plan for “life in lockdown” as soon as they receive further guidance from the Government about “what universities remaining open actually entails.”

In a statement to The Telegraph, a University spokesperson said that: “Longstanding University of Cambridge rules on residence remain consistent with [the government’s] guidance” and that “Our main priority is to protect the health of our staff and students.”

Cover image credits: Rodhullandemu, Wikimedia Commons