Literature students struggle with timetable hassle

There were complaints from both students and staff in the Literature department as academic timetables struggled to come in on time before the term started.

The majority of students and staff were only given their academic schedules at about midday of Monday Week 1, with some students experiencing clashes and errors in the modules, and number of modules, they were allocated to. 

Issues initially occurred within the English department when its secretary, usually responsible for formatting timetables, was not available to work before the start of term.

This resulted in students being informed that the time originally planned for timetables to be sent out – Friday 26 September – had to be pushed back to Sunday 28 September, just one day before the start of term.

Much to the frustration of students however, most did not receive their timetables until midday on Monday 29 September.

Students were kept informed of the issues by emails from the head of department, Professor David Morley.

He explained that temporary staff had had to be hired in light of the secretary’s absence, and they therefore had to be taught how to use the department’s system.

Peter Dunn, director of press and policy at the University, explained why the unfortunate problems arose: “It was an unpredictable perfect storm of staff illness and other absences that would have challenged any administrative system.”

He also assured that measures are being taken to prevent the same issues happening in the future: “The university’s central admin team have worked with the departmental team to help them resolve the issue.”

In addition to emails from the department providing information for students, the English Literature Facebook page for 2013/14 students proved to be a useful platform for raising queries and concerns.

Second-year student, Olivia McNeilis, said of the complications: “Even though this was an unforeseeable incident, I think most feel let down, especially considering how many of our lectures were cancelled last year and that many of us supported the department in their strikes.”

Further to this, Gabriella Watt, another second-year student, voiced many others’ frustrations regarding having to rearrange other first week commitments: “I think I stand for all the other students who are on the exec of societies when I say that this week is crucial for many of us and we have to be at meetings, at training sessions, and at the societies fair manning booths.”

“I’m the co-president of the new Warwick Jane Austen society, and most of our exec hadn’t been able to let us know if they COULD man a booth because they didn’t receive their timetables until the first day of term.”

Many students expressed disappointment at the level of communication within the department. Second-year student Lorayn Brown commented: “Seminar tutors should have been informed, all module pages updated and students told to attend whichever seminar possible this week.”

She added: “Not only would that have allowed students to plan their week, but it would have given the department the few extra days’ leeway to push through the last of the timetables.”

Another second-year student for whom the timetabling issues affected was Eloise Millard, who had to give up her job at the university library because she was not able to let those concerned know which shifts she could work.

She said: “I’m just astounded that only one person in the department was trained on the software, and it wasn’t until students started complaining did the department send any sort of formal email.”

However, despite being frustrated, others emphasised their relief that the occurrence did not put them at a serious disadvantage in terms of their grades being affected or anything similar.

Many expressed their understanding of the event being caused by unforeseeable circumstances, and the pressure that the staff would have been under.

Finalist Carmen Thong, said: “I can only imagine how the staff must feel. They’re trapped between a rock and a hard place as they’re probably victims themselves of a flawed system and are bearing the brunt of the whole issue.”