According to the largest union, UCU, “the government’s failure to direct universities to move to online teaching this term was unlawful, unfair, unjust and irrational”.
https://amp.theguardian.com/education/2020/oct/24/uk-academics-opening-of-univer
This issue has been raised on her before and I know we have a few posters who work in Unis. A few points on this from my experience.
1. Where were the unions during the summer when the decisions about teaching this term were being made? They were absent until Sept, by which time all plans are in place.
2. Similarly, this action refers to the Sage meeting of 21st September. Students had travelled to their universities by then (our term started 21st September, students came the week before). That meeting was far too late to inform the approach (plans had to be made through the summer - May/June/July, as lots of work went into installing H&S measures and even building new facilities in some cases.
3. It ignores those universities who have a lower incidence of Covid-19 than their surrounding communities (only those who have outbreaks are newsworthy, many don’t and aren’t). We’re well below the community transmutation rate down here, so a cold spot rather than a hot one.
Expect this one to rumble on. Not sure if I’ve got a strong opinion either way, but I’d be interested in views of anyone who’s working or has a child at a uni somewhere. |  |
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