Students told to stay put

Exeter University students can't go home till Christmas

University of Exeter students must not move back and forward between their permanent home and student home during term time.

Mike Shore-Nye, registrar and secretary has told students that government guidance ahead of the second lockdown is clear that students must stay at university, where a combination of online and face-to-face teaching, where it is safe to do so, will continue.

Mr Shore-Nye said that as there had been no evidence of covid-19 transmission within the teaching spaces, they will maintain the combined approach. He added: “We will work to continue to deliver ongoing research activity, whilst reviewing the detail of work that involves human participants. Students should continue to attend classes and colleagues should continue to work as planned, whether on campus or remotely.

“The DfE guidance also confirms that students who live at university must not move back and forward between their permanent home and student home during term time, only returning home at the end of term for Christmas. Again, we await further detail and we will keep you updated, but it is important that students remain at the University at this time. Not to do so would risk spreading the infection to loved-ones and communities around the country and beyond.”

He said that in line with the rest of England, gyms, indoor sports facilities, bars and catering outlets in this period will be closed, but catering within halls will continue. Libraries, study spaces and campus food shops will remain open.

He added: “Due to everyone’s hard work and commitment in reducing the spread of COVID-19 amongst University students, we had begun to reintroduce student sports and activities. It is clear that we will now have to pause these plans whilst we assess the detail of the new restrictions. We will also not be able to relax the restriction on household mixing as we had planned as this will now become a national restriction."

“Throughout this period, the safety, wellbeing and mental health of our students and staff will be our highest priority. Our spaces, for our teaching and our research, are COVID-19 secure and our testing and support for isolation remains critical in identifying and stopping the spread of the disease and safeguarding those around us.

“We will introduce additional support for students and colleagues as required, and we will look once more at options for the redeployment or furlough of colleagues where needed.

“The number of people in Devon and Cornwall who have tested positive for covid-19 is lower than other parts of the UK and if we are able to maintain our vigilance and resolve, we can be hopeful that restrictions will be eased in early December.”