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Month: May 2020

University of Manchester confirms September start date

Written by Anja Samy on . Posted in News.

University of Manchester has confirmed that the coming academic year will begin in September 2020.

In an email sent to all current and incoming students today, the University also confirmed that teaching, particularly lectures, will continue to be conducted online to some degree after summer.

As a further safety measure, student start dates will be staggered across the final weeks of September and October, as shown below:

New undergraduate and foundation year students:

  • Week commencing 21 September: University Welcome and induction programme.
  • Week commencing 28 September: School and programme induction activities.
  • Week commencing 5 October: Teaching starts.

Returning undergraduate students:

  • Week commencing 28 September: Welcome back week, with School and programme level introductions to their new level of study, plus an opportunity to cover any essential material from the last session.
  • Week commencing 5 October: Teaching starts.

Postgraduate taught students:

  • Weeks commencing 5 and 12 October: University Welcome and induction programme.
  • Week commencing 19 October: School and programme induction activities.
  • Week commencing 26 October: Teaching starts including an online option, with an aim to begin on campus teaching activities from November, subject to UK Government advice.

A University of Manchester spokesperson told The Mancunion: “We understand that the current COVID-19 crisis has created real uncertainty for all our students. But, as a University, we are absolutely committed to delivering the highest-quality learning and student experience at Manchester whilst providing you with the most up-to-date information. 

“Our approach will be informed by the latest UK Government advice, but as we anticipate social distancing measures will be in place for some time, we have taken the decision to conduct all lectures for Semester 1 online, as a lecture theatre environment does not easily support spatial separation.

However, the University also offered reassurances that, despite plans for a partially online start, they were “keen to continue with other face-to-face activities, such as small group teaching and tutorials”, as safely and as early as possible.

Emails sent out to new Undergraduate, returning Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students detail plans for “an extended and enhanced period of induction” for new students, including an emphasis on study skills, “academic community building” and English Language support for international students.

“Welcome and development activities” are also planned for returning students. According to an email sent out today by Professor April McMahon, Vice-President Teaching, Learning and Students, these induction sessions will be “an opportunity to cover any essential material which you may have missed during the last session, as well as a range of activities and workshops that go beyond your core curriculum.”

In regards to University accommodation, UoM have announced that contract terms are being “adjusted to provide maximum flexibility for any further disruption that may occur during your time in Halls”. Further information on this is yet to be announced on contract terms but new and overseas students have until August 31st to apply for a place in halls, and more information can be found on the accommodation website.

Class sizes set to increase following COVID-related cuts

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

The Mancunion understands that the University of Manchester is planning to scale up class sizes for the 2020/21 academic year in an effort to curb losses incurred by Covid-19.

It is understood that first-year tutorial sizes are set to increase by 25%, from 15 students to 20. Similar changes are also being considered on level two and three courses, although these have yet to be confirmed.

One lecturer in the Department of English Literature, American Studies, & Creative Writing (EAC) told The Mancunion that staff are “extremely worried” about larger tutorials and increased teaching load, which “favours neither them nor their students”.

She called the plans “a desperate attempt to save on costs and increase profit,” and said the University were “ignoring long-term consequences to the university’s ability to attract future students and to the research environment”.

There were also suggestions that the number of courses available to students could be scaled back in an attempt to reduce time spent on adapting modules to an online format.

A University of Manchester spokesperson said that no changes to class sizes had been agreed or announced and they were “having to prepare and plan for all eventualities and scenarios” but that staff and students remained their top priority.

Extract from 27 April 2020 virtual EAC department meeting

Speaking to The Mancunion, an EAC staff member said: “The administration has ordered a number of changes to be implemented in autumn 2020. All first-year seminars will now have 20 students, up from 12-15. This decision runs contrary to the interests of students and will erode ‘the student experience’.”

She also voiced concern over the effect the changes would have on staff, calling the decision to treatment of those on fixed-term contracts “shameful”.

“What’s surprising about this decision not to renew colleagues’ fixed-term contracts is that the administration doesn’t seem to have paused to consider how “socially irresponsible” it looks to make these valuable staff members jobless at a time when UK unemployment is skyrocketing.

“University administrators are constantly congratulating themselves for the University’s investment in “social responsibility,” but their treatment of fixed-term staff at this moment shows the shameful limits of that commitment with respect to their own staff.”

Bigger class sizes are likely to be exacerbated if the number of modules available to students is cut, in order to avoid converting all courses to an online format.

Final-year English Literature and French student Ellie Martin said increasing seminars to 20 students would mean that students would struggle to make the most of the time.

“Most humanities students only get one hour of seminar contact time with a lecturer [per module], to increase seminar groups to 20 decreases the amount of time we have to share our ideas even further.

“In a degree that already feels like lecturer’s time is stretched, this is a kick in the teeth.”

Also discussed in the EAC staff meeting was the possibility of reducing available modules to in turn reduce lecturers’ workload: “[Staff are] advised that every module running would require time devoted to converting it to online teaching and that the fewer modules ran, the less time would be used up by this.”

Although no concrete plans have been announced yet regarding the start of the next academic year, the minutes of the EAC staff meeting indicate that the University are actively planning for the possibility of continuing online teaching into the autumn. A decision on this is expected to be made during the week.

Universities such as Edinburgh have already set out plans to start teaching online in September, with the intention of moving back to in-person classes later in the year.

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “No changes to class sizes have been agreed or announced. Given the evolving nature of the current situation the higher education sector finds itself in we, as an institution, have to prepare and plan for all possible eventualities and scenarios.

“This includes looking at ways we can further expand and develop our high-quality online teaching provision. But we are also exploring other solutions and working with the relevant staff and student bodies, including the Students’ Union, to find the best workable outcome for everyone at the University.

“We will inform all students directly of any changes that affect them once these have been decided. Our staff and students remain our top priority.”

Coronaspeak: What impact is the language of lockdown having on us?

Written by Lucca Di Virgilio on . Posted in Opinion.

From the newsroom to dining room, a new form of language is heard. Coronaspeak is a new term coined by Tony Thorne, the language consultant at King’s University, to describe the medicalisation of everyday language as society has become increasingly focused on Coronavirus.

In the UK, we wake up to news reports everyday about Covid-19 spoken in unfamiliar medical and scientific terminology. We are told to lament the growing number of cases, hospitalisations and fatalities and criticise the government for shortages of Personal Protective Equipment, ventilators and testing kits.

We are reminded of the importance of social-distancing and self-isolation. And we are torn by demands for tougher measures and calls for exit plans, like contact-tracing, global cooperation or intermittent lockdowns.

Many of these buzz words and phrases are new usages and affixes of familiar terms but, through repetition, they have become a new language onto itself.

Beneath the flurries of scientific jargon lies a constant narrative that we are engaged in a war against an invisible adversary. Efforts to frame the national response to Covid-19 as a war began with Johnson’s March 24th national address, in which he proclaimed, ‘in this fight […] each and every one of us is directly enlisted’.

From then on, those in essential jobs were positioned on the ‘frontline’, whilst the politicians and experts formulated strategies in the so-called ‘war-cabinet’ and civilians did ‘their bit’ by staying inside out of harm’s way.

Words and phrases uttered by the healthcare professionals, politicians and broadcasters alike, that used to be reserved for public health conventions and warzones, have become a part of the fabric of our media, and by extension our lives.

We consume this language every day. A record 27.1 million watched Boris Johnson’s address which outlined the government’s stricter new measures, 24 million tuned into the Queen’s speech on April 5th, and daily government addresses consistently pull in around 10 million viewers in total.

Even greater numbers are keeping abreast of current events through social media, news apps and catch-up TV. There is seldom much else to do for those in self-isolation and on Furlough than to keep abreast of current events. What’s more, with social gatherings banned, we rarely hear voices that don’t come from the TV. Coronaspeak’s domination of our media means that its words are always fresh in our minds and never far from our lips.

But what impact does this messaging have on our thoughts and behaviour?

In some ways, George Orwell’s 1984 can help us understand the power of language. 1984 describes a dystopian world in which the domineering political party, Ingsoc, devise a language to manipulate thought and expression.

Newspeak, the new language, deliberately limits the vocabulary of the English language in order to restrict the ways in which the population of Oceania can express themselves, and therefore removes the people’s ability to go against the Party. Orwell’s creation of a language devised specifically for controlling people demonstrates the way that language influences the human mind and behaviour.

Although Coronaspeak does not limit our ability to think, converse and act freely, it does seem to make us feel more conscientious about our behaviour and the behaviour of others.

The reiteration of specialist language and appearance of public health experts alongside our politicians and broadcasters reminds us of the severity of the crisis , encouraging us to have faith in authority. The use of military language fosters a sense of duty to follow the orders of government.  In this sense, Coronaspeak appears to act as a tool for coercing the population into adhering to government guidance.

According to Chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Martin Hewitt, an overwhelming majority of people are practising social distancing: only leaving the house to get food, medicine or exercise. Though police officers have handed out more than 1000 fines across all 37 forces, that is an average of less than 84 a day, which represent a small minority breaking curfew.

What’s more, those who flout the regulations are often the subjects of derision from official sources and social media. Often those in breach are called-out by members of the public, with Stephen Powis, the national medical director, labelling them the ‘foolish few’.

This fits into the war analogy. If the civilians in this war are those who must stay inside, then the traitors among us are the socially irresponsible sunbathers and back-street footballers. Although the threat of a fine is the principal deterrent, the threat of social exclusion is a second factor which should receive more attention.

The spread of medical language in society has also created the possibility for shared knowledge and understanding. However, it has also allowed those with power and influence to spread misinformation.

Across the UK, conspiracy theorists and influencers have shared baseless claims about the alleged connection of 5G to the virus and accused China of using coronavirus as a biological weapon to cause an economic downturn in the West.

Even some television channels are succumbing to superstition. London Live recently aired an interview with David Icke, in which he suggested that a state-mandated vaccine will be a tool for mind-control.

Whilst this new language that has emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic can be a tool for national unity and understanding, it can also be used to divide and misinform. We need to be vigilant about who we listen to, our lives may just depend on it.

Tim Dennell@flickr

Outsiders, stockpilers, and socialisers: narratives of blame during lockdown

Written by Joe Manock on . Posted in Opinion.

The public narrative of lockdown insists upon national togetherness. From a soaring community spirit to the doorstep applause of NHS staff, we are given the impression that cooped-up citizens are universally united.

Yet the looming question is: how do we square this feeling of togetherness with peculiar narratives of blame?

Here’s the case for a nation united. Many, including myself, have taken much-needed comfort from the (quickly becoming tedious) ritual of NHS worship.

Instagram challenges and individual acts of heroism (Captain Tom Moore) are capturing the public imagination to raise millions for our public health service. The NHS volunteer scheme has received a legion of 750,000 public-spirited volunteers and grass-root systems of charity have spontaneously blossomed up and down the country.

The localised and informal ‘good neighbour’ organisations connect volunteers via social media and fetch supplies for the vulnerable. There are said to be over 4,300 of such organisations, connecting approximately 3 million people.

The corollary of all this is a renewed community spirit: a survey for the Office for National Statistics found that more than half the population now feels a sense of belonging to their community.

All this blitz spirit malarkey, however, is misleading: what about all those figures of public scorn?

WW2 is often mythologised as a period of national unity. However, in reality, it served to intensify debates about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ citizens. The image of the stiff-upper-lip and self-sacrificing Brit was modelled against archetypal ‘bad’ citizens: primarily black marketers, Jews, and ‘Good-time girls’. Wartime society was fraught with social divisions and resentment.

During the current crisis, people still require a bad citizen to feel good about themselves. The disease began fuelling xenophobic anxieties before it had even touched British soil. It was labelled a distinctly ‘Chinese virus’ and Asian people across the world were subjected to racist violence. The Chinatowns of Britain were sadly deserted as COVID-19 became associated with ‘dangerous’ outsiders.

Then came the shaming of militant stockpilers: ‘supermarket shelves would be well-stocked if it wasn’t for that merry band of hoarders’. The video of a critical care nurse begging people to stop stripping shelves of essential items embodies this view.

In reality, the disappearance of pasta, toilet roll, and sanitizer from our shelves was caused by the sensitivity of supermarket supply chains. Supply chains are unable to respond to rapidly changing consumption habits (that one extra bar of soap or slightly bigger shop to compensate for not eating out).

The disappearance of essential items was caused by all of us. Stockpilers represent a minuscule percentage of the population, yet were demonised as a sweeping threat.

Lastly, the frivolous socializer, who flaunts the laws of lockdown, was made the object of public scorn. Two photos were enough to compel Matt Hancock to threaten the ban of daily exercise on The Andrew Marr Show. One image was of Londoners sunbathing and the other was of a Brighton barbeque being dispersed by the police. The fear projected onto these images was deliberately blown out of proportion.

Shockingly, the photo of park dwellers that sparked outrage was taken with a long-lens, which gave the deceptive illusion that people far apart were actually within touching distance. Overzealous police officers have been breaking social distancing rules to go above and beyond their duties. The recent clarification that driving to take a walk is lawful, has made the Derbyshire Police’s use of drone footage appear absurd.

Figures are shamed during a crisis to release mass frustration. When the conditions of lockdown are eventually lifted, let us prioritise compassion, not blame. Fear of infection need not cause division.

WH3R3 4 4RT TH0U R0M30? Digital dating in the coronazone

Written by jamesshepherd on . Posted in Opinion.

“You and Hope should meet” is what Hinge tells me every evening without fail, and if it’s not Hope then it’s Hannah, Helen or maybe even Hazel. 

A month or so ago, I would have opened this alert with all the mindless interest of a middle aged man reaching for his fourth custard cream after Sunday lunch – imbued with a mild level of desire for the sweet treat but knowing deep down that it would likely have no great bearing on my emotional, spiritual or psychological constitution.

Today, however – in the midst of the corona-rapture – my reading of this notification, informing me of who the algorithmic overlords of my love life have selected as my soul mate, is quite different.

The thought of beginning any kind of courtship is simultaneously amusing and troubling, as it poses the question of how romantic and sexual life can possibly progress in a world of lockdown, quarantine and social distancing.

Multitudes of questions have already been asked and answered regarding sex and coronavirus – Can I get coronavirus from having sex? How can I conduct my extra-marital affair during lockdown? Is it socially responsible to go dogging if I suspect I have Covid-19? The situation for many seems dire and, for those who are single, enforced celibacy is the only option.

My more dirty minded associates have informed me that Pornhub have responded to this libidinal crisis by removing the paywall to their premium services, in a bid to encourage self isolation. The even dirtier minded ones have reported that erotic videos relating directly to coronavirus have too surfaced on the cyberspace. 

These reports from the field reveal to me that the reality of sex and romance in the pandemic seems somewhat less grand than I first imagined; more auto-eroticism than quarantine-defying covert meetings between star crossed lovers under moonlight.*

“Where were you during the great plague of 2020 Grandad?”

“Well Jimmy, I was sat in my bedroom wanking.”

Alongside these more immediate changes and concerns regarding sexual behaviour for Britons under the plague, there is also a greater potential change emerging above the mooning arse on the increasingly apocalyptic horizon. In our already hyper-digitised world, there seems now a greater chance than ever for cyberspace to push its forces forward and claim greater territory in the world of love and sex, previously ruled by the ‘real’ and the ‘actual’.  

Dating, my dear reader, and more broadly romantic life itself is under threat of full digitisation. 

Photo: Ahmet Yilmaz @Flickr

I would like now to return to Hope, one of my daily elected soul mates, according to Hinge, and consider a few key questions:  What would it be like to ‘meet’ Hope under our current circumstances? How would our first date take place? What happens if we hit it off? What happens if we don’t?

The first stage I imagine would take place like most others, with nervous attempts of flirtation and then the swapping of monotonous tales of how we’re coping with the perils of the pestilence.

Then, however, where one might usually suggest meeting for a drink, we might exchange Skype details and arrange to video chat for our first virtual date. Perhaps a bowl of canned mushroom soup for me and a cup of noodles for her? Or maybe a room temperature tin of Sainsbury’s own brand lager for me and a Gordon’s and flat lemonade for her, all under the romantic glow of LCD screens.

The full digitisation of romance makes it entirely possible to date without ever leaving the sofa.  All of the stresses over location, how bad you smell or how you completely forgot to cut your fingernails are now gone. Your dates perceptions of you are now mediated by a webcam.

A bad date can be escaped with a click of the button, while a good one never has to know how you haven’t showered in 4 days, or see the immovable pasta sauce stain on the crotch of your jeans, or know that, beyond the edges of the frame, there is a bin overflowing with Pringles tubes and empty cans of diet coke. 

I can only assume that dating in cyber-space will be in keeping with the rampant dishonesty and fraudulent self-image manipulation inevitably found in all virtual beings – manifested to the extreme in the posturing pillock on Instagram, who stands beside a sports car despite not having a driving licence. 

Similarly, within the virtual date, all that is shown and all that is seen is limited through the framing of a low quality webcam.  

So is this what the future holds – a complete dissolution of physical intimacy and face-to-face honesty in favour of further abstractions of the virtual from the real and an even greater encroachment on authenticity?  Well for this cynic, quite possibly.  

*For legal reasons, this writer would like to stress he has not attempted any clandestine quarantine rendezvous and does not intend to in the future, if there even is one.

Photo: kropekk_pl @ pixabay

Cache-22: How has the shift to online learning affected Manchester students?

Written by Nial Perry on . Posted in Investigations.

Manchester students have expressed concerns about how the recent shift to online teaching during lockdown is affecting their education.

The University of Manchester suspended on-campus teaching in March, along with all other UK institutions, in order to slow the spread of coronavirus. 

While no students are doubting the necessity of the move to online learning, some have encountered obstacles to engaging with the content – and criticised the University for providing conflicting information regarding examinations. 

Lauren Poole, a second-year Languages student, said: “Online studies definitely don’t allow for the same learning experience that we would get [on campus]”. 

“Most people, even tutors, have their cameras and microphones off which leads to classes lacking in interactivity,” she added. 

“Online studies definitely don’t allow for the same learning experience that we would get [on campus]”

– Lauren Poole, second year UoM

Students said that mixed messages from the University were a problem, with some in the School of Law reportedly receiving updates which did not apply to them. According to one Law student, this caused caused “a lot of confusion”. 

The Law student told The Mancunion: “We are still yet to receive our exam timetables. We have been told the format of our assessments but not the dates. The problem with this is that I am at work 3-4 days a week, but I don’t know which days I should not work to focus on my replacement assessments.

“I feel [the University] has seriously neglected the fact that many people will have ongoing work commitments alongside studying.” 

The University has since announced exam dates.

Students in the School of Mathematics also received contradictory guidance about summer exams, simultaneously being told that their assessments would and would not go ahead. 

Emilija Gaidelyte, a second-year Business Management student, said: “The communication from UoM has been quite poor. However, we’re all a little lost, and just trying our best, during these uncertain times.”

 A spokesperson from the University of Manchester told The Mancunion that the University have “worked hard to make the transition as easy and smooth as possible for our students” and have received some “very positive feedback” from students and staff about online teaching.

However, the University also acknowledged that continued work is still needed to refine practises and facilities: “We understand that this is a time of upheaval for everyone at the University and we will continue to look at ways we can improve our services in these unprecedented times.” 

“We understand that this is a time of upheaval for everyone at the University and we will continue to look at ways we can improve our services in these unprecedented times.” 

– The University of Manchester

While the abrupt change has been difficult for many to grow accustomed to, the move to online learning has been far less steep for some who already had online classes before the pandemic. 

Edo Altamura, a PhD candidate, said: “As a computational astrophysicist, the transition was relatively quick since 100% of my work is done on remote computational facilities. I consider my workflow to be as efficient as usual.” 

Some students have taken to penning anonymous open letters defending staff. One undergraduate from the school of Arts, Languages and Culture (SALC), wrote: “Lecturers are not walking talking [academic] references … they are most likely experiencing anxiety [like] everyone else.” 

The student went on to urge their peers to take a more “human approach” and “remain patient” with teaching staff. 

Others have called for staff to do more to make up for lost teaching time. In a separate open letter to the SALC, a group of final year Spanish students have placed four demands for their year group. These include financial compensation, a guaranteed graduation ceremony, a choice regarding oral exams and greater inter-faculty cohesion. 

“We appreciate that these demands are directed at different recipients and require a variety of courses of action, but we felt we wanted to articulate all our grievances in one place, as they are all symptomatic of a wider problem: the mistreatment of the students and teachers by the University,” the letter reads.

The University has focused this semester’s course unit surveys specifically on the move to online learning, with bosses keen to hear from students on what can be improved in the future. 

The Students’ Union have also launched a survey in order to better understand how students have found the shift to online learning.

Information gathered in this survey will be passed on to the Education Officer, Chloe Salins, to help her represent student interests and concerns in meetings with the University.

We want to know how the impact of COVID-19 has affected your learning and accessing of resources and student support…

Posted by University of Manchester Students' Union on Tuesday, 28 April 2020

The Office for Students, which regulates all UK universities, has urged “regular and clear communications to students” in its latest guidance on standards during coronavirus. 

In a statement to The Mancunion, the University of Manchester acknowledged the challenges that come with moving all face-to-face teaching online:

“Since we have suspended physical face-to-face teaching and moved to online learning, the University has worked hard to make the transition as easy and smooth as possible for our students. Their teaching and learning remain one of our top priorities and we’re pleased that students are engaging with our online provision.

 “We’ve had some very positive feedback from students and staff about teaching and learning online. However, we understand that this is a time of upheaval for everyone at the University and we will continue to look at ways we can improve our services in these unprecedented times.” 

The University of Manchester has pulled together a range of guides and resources to help students transition to online studying which can be found on the Student Support website.

If students have any difficulties accessing online learning or accessing the University network, they can email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 161 306 6199 (Monday to Friday during UK Office hours)