UoN finally gave us a safety net, but it’s not exactly what we’ve been asking for

This afternoon UoN students received another email from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Long, which at first glance looked like the email we had all been waiting for, the safety net policy.

This policy, we thought, would ensure that students grades would not drop below what it was pre-corona, putting many students at ease. But what you quickly learn, as you scroll down the email, nothing has really changed at all.

Essentially, students won’t have an automatic grace period for coursework like last term, but can apply for extenuating circumstances which will be granted for individual reasons with little evidence needed. And despite the desperate cries of the UoN student body for the continuation of last year’s safety net policies, not much was said, and people are not happy.

‘It’s an appalling response from the uni’

Victoria, a third year natural sciences student (and starter of the change.org petition to get the safety net policy reinstated) believes that the university have not nearly done enough with the announcement of this policy.

“I think that it is an appalling response from the university, ignoring over 8,000 of its students. The fact that they have titled it ‘Safety Net’ is misleading and a complete manipulation on what the students were fighting for and has only urged us to keep putting on pressure on it and in abundance.”

She said: “It focuses on the credibility of degrees over the worth of students welfare and claims that this is a collaborative decision by Russell Group unis, when universities within the group like Cardiff and York clearly hold a different view.

“The fact that other universities are introducing the policies means that Nottingham students will have compromised results which leaves us 2020/2021 graduates at the bottom of the pile. This means that the playing field is definitely not even nationwide for graduates fighting for jobs this year, and it’s not fair.”

‘It’s unfair to set a precedent and then backtrack on it’

Daniel, a third year English and American studies student is extremely disappointed in the misleading announcement made earlier today.

Daniel told The Nottingham Tab: “Students have been really adversely affected by the lockdown situation and the university should be doing everything they can do to ensure students feel heard and accommodated for. No questions asked.”

‘Frankly, the uni should be doing everything they can. And right now, they’re not’

Second year English student, Leah, told The Nottingham Tab: “I am really disappointed with how the uni have handled the approach this year especially considering coursework and assessment deadlines. I think the uni should be doing everything they can considering the difficulty of online learning and how it can affect mental health.”

‘They’ve said our learning and support hasn’t been affected, although I find that hard to believe’

“I am a bit disappointed to learn that we are not getting a safety net”, says Rebecca, a third year History and American studies student.

“By the sounds of it, the reasoning is because our learning and support hasn’t been affected, although I find that hard to believe, considering I personally have experienced a huge lack of support from both my personal tutor and student services.”

These students are not the only people protesting the new announcement; UoN’s societies have come together to release a video condemning the uni’s response, and demanding more is done to support its students.

Additionally, a new group has been created by Notts students, in order to protest their treatment during the pandemic.