Wednesday 18-11-2020 - 12:28

Hello from your Bristol SU Officer team!  

Following the announcement of the student travel window in preparation for the holidays, we are listening to your concerns and are working hard to ensure that students' voices are being represented to the University.  

We wanted to update you on some of our successes from the last couple of weeks, as well as the projects we’re working on to ensure a fun, happy, and safe end to the term. 

 

Rent Rebates

Your Student Living Officer, Ruth has secured a 10-day rent rebate for students living in university halls. We have worked hard to ensure that students are not unfairly financially affected by the student travel window.

We are lobbying the university to make sure that accommodation contracts for students living in halls are fair and flexible as we head into the next term.

 

Support over the holidays  

We are working closely with the university to create comprehensive support plans for students over the holiday period, whether you’re remaining in Bristol or travelling elsewhere.  

We are putting together a varied program of virtual events, alongside peer-to-peer support networks to support all students across what can be a very isolating period.

For more information, keep an eye on our website and social media pages in the coming weeks!

The University have now shared more details on travelling home for the holidays. There will be more detail on mass testing coming soon.

 

January Assessments

We have been working hard to support students as we head into the January assessment period.  

We are lobbying the university to increase available study spaces in the library and in un-used teaching spaces as we know this is an important priority for many students. 

We have also been lobbying the university to widen Extenuating Circumstances eligibility criteria. Due to the turbulence of learning in a pandemic in TB1, the officers are pushing the university to introduce the following mitigations for January assessments:

• Uncapped resits as standard for those who fail exams. This is in line with mitigations in place for summer assessments last year, and would ensure that no student falls through the cracks.
• Ensure students don't have more than two long form exams in a 7 day period, and that those who have three 7-day exams in a week are automatically offered extensions.
• The same allowances for ECs as in the summer assessment period and lower the evidence needed to defer exams.

 

 

Climate Emergency Day of Action  

We have secured a timetabled Climate Emergency Day of Action to take place in TB2. Teaching will be rescheduled and we are working on a timetable of events with sustainability societies and a staff working group.  

You can find out more about our sustainability networks here. 

 

Wellbeing Network 

We also want to give a big shout out to Olivier and the Wellbeing Network for all your great work in setting up a student buddy programme for this holiday period! Thank you!

 

For further Coronavirus updates please check the Bristol SU website here.