This evening, the University has announced its plans for the 2020-21 Academic Year to students and staff, which includes a full program of teaching, including face-to-face tuition.
Vice Chancellor Bob Allison stated that a teaching timetable will be in place for all degree programmes, with in-person tuition and lab work.
However, he warned that large lectures may not be possible on campus once the academic year begins, and that Government guidelines are likely to require online delivery in the first term, supported by the facility to have real-time questions from students to lecturers.
The announcement comes after the Government implemented changes to require Universities to provide a formal statement of intent for the next academic year for current and prospective students.
The university has promised that every student will have in-person tuition and access to facilities where they can be operated safely, with similar numbers of scheduled teaching sessions and new ‘innovative’ spaces to allow interaction with teaching staff. In addition, learning facilities will reopen, including the Library, with social distancing in place.
Student accommodation will remain open, and in the case of an additional period of lockdown, students will not be charged fees.
Aware of the importance of social activities to the university experience, the University has also announced that LSU will be running a programme of activities that allow everyone to adhere to the social distancing rules, including new night time events that focus on smaller gatherings of students with less risk to health.
All LSU sections – Action, Rag, Media, Enterprise, Societies, the AU and Welfare & Diversity will continue to operate, and hall committees will work to ensure that there will be a full social program to welcome new freshers. The 2020 Graduation will continue to be scheduled for April 2021, with a Grad Ball in the works.
You can find the full outline of changes planned for the 2020-2021 academic year here.
Header photo by Joshua Gray.
