The return of the policy would ensure any passing grade in upcoming exams could only positively impact a student’s overall grade
The SRC has announced its support for “No Detriment” and will lobby for its return for upcoming examinations.
This evening, the GUSRC put out a statement on social media saying: “We appreciate the extreme difficulties and hurdles that Covid-19 is bringing to the lives of all students. The SRC entirely supports the implementation of some form of “No Detriment” policy and is lobbying the University for a similar policy to the one put in place in March 2020.”
The SRC expressed their awareness of the pleas from Glasgow’s student body to reinstate the policy that was initially brought in at the start of the first national lockdown in March 2020, and they emphasised their shared concern with struggling students. The SRC promised that they would update students with their correspondence with the University “as soon as we are able to” and continue to do so as they worked to secure exam safety for students this year.
They noted in the same post: “The University must recognise that students are really struggling right now and consider bringing back the “No Detriment” policy, and if not, they should explain why not, and what alternatives will be put in place to ensure students are supported during this incredibly difficult period.”
SRC President, Liam Brady, echoed the body’s decision saying, “We are calling on the University to implement some sort of No Detriment policy to support students. Every aspect of our lives has been impacted by this pandemic and, almost 10 months in, we are arguably at the worst stage yet. There is nothing normal about this “new normal” and the University needs to recognise that with effective and supportive policy and practice. The SRC have been and will continue to work with and lobby the University to do this.”
A petition to reinstate the “No Detriment” policy at the University was launched on Monday by Luisa Barclay, a senior honours student in politics and already has over 2,500 signatures.
Barclay stated in the petition that it is “unfair and unrealistic to expect honours, ordinary degree or postgraduate students to continue to produce a high quality of work in these circumstances” adding that the return of the “No Detriment” policy “would ensure that any passing grade in upcoming examinations can only positively impact a student’s overall grade” and that “no student will be left behind” because of Covid-19.
Without access to libraries, face-to-face teaching and appropriate study spaces, students have once again been thrust into both frustrating and concerning conditions. One Russell Group university has already made changes to this year’s exam policies: the University of York was the first of the group to confirm in a university-wide email that they were working on reinstating a similar protective policy to “No Detriment”. This is whilst Leeds Beckett University has already established the presence of a “safety net” for students in 2021, and University College London is “reviewing” their “No Detriment” policy, as stated in a student email.
However, whilst several universities have made changes, others are said to be “standing firm” in their disallowance of another “No Detriment” policy. Southampton directed The Tab towards an FAQ on their website when questioned about their policy changes, which read: “We, like other Russell Group universities, do not plan to operate a “No Detriment” policy for this academic year.”
One student from Exeter, Bella Enoizi, has launched a campaign that fights for a nationwide. “No Detriment” policy to be put into place. The Change.org petition, “SAVE OUR GRADES”, currently has 10,280 signatures and counting.
