UCL has just given staff a ‘no detriment’ policy whilst students are left in the dark

UCL has just announced that staff will be covered by a “no detriment due to Covid-19” policy for this academic year.

The policy aims to support staff by implementing non-detrimental appraisal and promotion policies.

However, a similar no detriment policy for students has not yet been announced.

Similarly to last year’s no detriment policy, this aims to:

“Reassure staff that expectations around this period will be adjusted to account for any difficult circumstances you may have had to deal with and to set out some of the ways we will do this through adjusting the promotions and appraisals processes.

“We know that for many of our people, especially those with childcare and other caring responsibilities, or those with unsuitable home working environments, the difficulties involved in balancing work lives and home lives over the past few months have been substantial and are likely to have had a significant impact on their ability to perform at work.”

While last year’s students (at UCL and at many other unis) were covered by no detriment policies due to the pandemic, universities this year have been much slower – and much more vague – in their plans and policies for supporting students moving forwards.

Last week, the Russell Group issued a statement which essentially banned the extension of a no detriment policy for students in the 2020/21 academic year, on the grounds that it would not be necessary.

UCL’s Student Union, however, have since assured students that they have not yet ruled anything out after the statement made by the Russell Group. They have also formally reinstated the EACP: the same panel which created last year’s no detriment policy for students.

Though UCL at this point has not announced any formal or final plans for a student no detriment policy this year, students have been vocal in their hopes for an extension of last year’s policy.

While it’s great that UCL has announced a no detriment policy for their staff, they are not alone in being affected by the pandemic – and certainly not the only ones with “unsuitable home working environments”.

You can read the full no detriment policy outlined for staff here.

Here’s to hoping students get a non-detriment policy too – and soon.