Coronavirus

[Comrade 86]

5 hours ago, Andicis said:

Absolutely crazy that Cambridge is making a decision this early, I'm going to be so annoyed if my Uni makes the same decision, guarantee they won't lower tuition fees...

I do wonder why they've gone this route so early. My sense of things is that all Uni's may ultimately be forced down this route unfortunately, but then my typically optimistic outlook has dissolved away where CV is concerned. 

As regards the costs, there is no way that Uni's can justify maintaining the current fee structure. It's a bugbear for my lad too and seemingly for all of his mates and rightly so. He's in his final year at UCL but is looking at Masters options for neuropharma already. He's been working 20 hours a week on top of studies even with me topping up his funds as the cost of renting a place in London on top of course fees is astronomical and kids are getting saddled with stupid levels of debt even before they begin their professional careers.

My lad's now looking at options in Berlin and Munich instead of staying in the UK for this very reason and to ward off the prospect of him having to leave the country, which he is OK with but would prefer not to, I'm going to have to stump up another chunk of cash. This is fine really. He's my only real responsibility these days, but I too will feel pretty resentful if the fees are not looked at carefully should these closures be widespread. I'm not even sure how that works for many degrees to be honest. Hopefully for him, yourself and all the other lads on here at Uni, the right and fair calls will be made.

 

[1967Ram]

Coronavirus lockdown should not be eased until 'track and trace' is a success, say government advisers

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-lockdown-should-not-be-eased-until-track-and-trace-is-a-success-say-government-advisers-11991336

 

[Anag Ram]

5 hours ago, Andicis said:

Absolutely crazy that Cambridge is making a decision this early, I'm going to be so annoyed if my Uni makes the same decision, guarantee they won't lower tuition fees...

I am pretty ignorant on this and don't know the answer but is it because Cambridge has a particularly high number of students from all over the world? 

[King Kevin]

10 hours ago, A Ram for All Seasons said:

Cafes in Germany have just opened again too. Before you sit down, you have to enter your name, address and phone number in a list which is sent to the local health authority. If anybody sat at the same table comes down with Coronavirus you will be sent into quarantine for 14 days. Best not bother, too much hassle.

I hope the cafes have a good data protection policy and P.I cover.

[RamNut]

How can someone die of covid19 in a care home, but not be considered ill enough to be admitted to hospital?

[Tamworthram]

7 hours ago, Andicis said:

Absolutely crazy that Cambridge is making a decision this early, I'm going to be so annoyed if my Uni makes the same decision, guarantee they won't lower tuition fees...

At least students shouldn’t have accommodation to find and pay for (that’s going to be quite damaging to local renters).
 

Presumably, universities will justify their fees by saying they’re still providing the same amount of tuition etc, but it will all be online, and they still have to employ the professor and lecturers and maintain their buildings. I’m not saying they should continue to charge the same just that I can see how they may argue.

I guess certain courses lend themselves relatively well to online learning but, it does sound a little premature to be writing off the whole of the next academic year.

[A Ram for All Seasons]

55 minutes ago, King Kevin said:

I hope the cafes have a good data protection policy and P.I cover.

No problem if you decide to stay at home instead.

[A Ram for All Seasons]

1 hour ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

As regards the costs, there is no way that Uni's can justify maintaining the current fee structure.

They need the money to continue to pay vast salaries to vice-chancellors while keeping their academic staff on an endless cycle of temporary contracts. Vice-chancellors have to be able to afford to send their kids to university too, you know.

[Comrade 86]

30 minutes ago, A Ram for All Seasons said:

They need the money to continue to pay vast salaries to vice-chancellors while keeping their academic staff on an endless cycle of temporary contracts. Vice-chancellors have to be able to afford to send their kids to university too, you know.

Vice-Chancellors don't have kids buddy. They are too busy throwing wild parties and drinking 30 year old McCallan for such trifles ?

[Norman]

We follow the American model for university cities and their economies. Places like Coventry, lose a third of their population in the summer. 

Our economy relies on the loans and their spending to keep cities like Covernty surviving. 

A deep recession will last for a long time if universities don't open up properly. 

[uttoxram75]

Leicester de Montfort are doing online lectures until Christmas then reviewing it.

Bolton Uni are trying masks and distancing, but a 300 seat theatre can only seat 18 students using the 2 metre rule.

Looks like its going to be very patchy across the country with individual Uni's making their own decisions.

 

[RamNut]

I'd have been quite happy with online lectures provide they are interactive. It was a hassle getting in by car, with almost no available parking. Attendance was patchy, so that in the end the lecturers lost interest. 

[nottingram]

Trouble with this is that rightly or wrongly a lot of people will go to university for the experience, and I found the experience of living away from home and looking after myself probably more valuable in the long run than the course itself, not to mention the social aspect and the interacting with people from many different cultures. It’s an awful lot to be missing out on if remote studying becomes the norm and I suspect numbers would go down as a result, so universities may not be able to reduce their fees, although in my opinion they should really be able to find some rainy day funds given what they charge.

[Andicis]

3 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

At least students shouldn’t have accommodation to find and pay for (that’s going to be quite damaging to local renters).
 

Presumably, universities will justify their fees by saying they’re still providing the same amount of tuition etc, but it will all be online, and they still have to employ the professor and lecturers and maintain their buildings. I’m not saying they should continue to charge the same just that I can see how they may argue.

I guess certain courses lend themselves relatively well to online learning but, it does sound a little premature to be writing off the whole of the next academic year.

The problem is, many students have already found and got accommodation for next year, the first years might not go for a place in halls but it's too late for many students.  They will probably argue that, but I've found online teaching much much worse than going in, and I'd expect a hefty discount if they were to do online learning at my uni for my final year. 

 

4 hours ago, Anag Ram said:

I am pretty ignorant on this and don't know the answer but is it because Cambridge has a particularly high number of students from all over the world? 

All uni's have a lot of students from all over the world these days.

[EtoileSportiveDeDerby]

5 hours ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

I do wonder why they've gone this route so early. My sense of things is that all Uni's may ultimately be forced down this route unfortunately, but then my typically optimistic outlook has dissolved away where CV is concerned. 

As regards the costs, there is no way that Uni's can justify maintaining the current fee structure. It's a bugbear for my lad too and seemingly for all of his mates and rightly so. He's in his final year at UCL but is looking at Masters options for neuropharma already. He's been working 20 hours a week on top of studies even with me topping up his funds as the cost of renting a place in London on top of course fees is astronomical and kids are getting saddled with stupid levels of debt even before they begin their professional careers.

My lad's now looking at options in Berlin and Munich instead of staying in the UK for this very reason and to ward off the prospect of him having to leave the country, which he is OK with but would prefer not to, I'm going to have to stump up another chunk of cash. This is fine really. He's my only real responsibility these days, but I too will feel pretty resentful if the fees are not looked at carefully should these closures be widespread. I'm not even sure how that works for many degrees to be honest. Hopefully for him, yourself and all the other lads on here at Uni, the right and fair calls will be made.

 

You can guarantee that any decision will be taken in the best financial interest of the Unis. I will never understand why this country is prepared to poo on a large part of the future of the nation with every single decision taken by successive government (left and right) year after year.

[Eddie]

5 hours ago, 1967Ram said:

Coronavirus lockdown should not be eased until 'track and trace' is a success, say government advisers

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-lockdown-should-not-be-eased-until-track-and-trace-is-a-success-say-government-advisers-11991336

 

Given the way that the right wing press are now orchestrating a 'blame scientists' campaign in order to absolve the Johnson regime from any criticism, I can see this sound advice being ignored.

[Eddie]

3 hours ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Vice-Chancellors don't have kids buddy. They are too busy throwing wild parties and drinking 30 year old McCallan for such trifles ?

It would be more fun and a lot cheaper if they just throw trifles.

[FindernRam]

3 hours ago, RamNut said:

I'd have been quite happy with online lectures

I "attended" the open university when it first started. OMG was it dull!  Mind you B&W, non interactive. Hopefully a lot better these days

[Tamworthram]

2 hours ago, Andicis said:

The problem is, many students have already found and got accommodation for next year, the first years might not go for a place in halls but it's too late for many students.  They will probably argue that, but I've found online teaching much much worse than going in, and I'd expect a hefty discount if they were to do online learning at my uni for my final year. 

 

All uni's have a lot of students from all over the world these days.

Think of all the money they'll save on pizzas though.

Seriously though, good point about second years and beyond.

Whether justified or not, I wouldn't hold my breath for a "hefty" discount. As I say, a lot depends on the course as well. When my daughter did English and philosophy at Birmingham uni I don't think she had many actual lectures at the uni itself. My only personal experience of university is the OU which, of course, is nearly all remote (and that was many years ago before the real digital era).

 

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

Saw some pictures of Southend beach earlier today.  It's that packed they may as well be wrestling whilst licking each others faces.  Bit like Matlock Bath at the weekend. Am I the only one becoming increasingly bemused about what we should be doing ? should I just carry on as normal and do what I want and see who I want.  Any clarity gratefully received.