University of Warwick releases ‘Covid Mitigation Package of Education Measures’

The University of Warwick has released a ‘Mitigation Package of Education Measures’, which does not include a new safety net.

The series of measures covers examinations, assessments, extensions and mitigations. 

As part of the changes the library will close for independent study and will now only be offering a click and collect and postal loan services from 13 January, despite the University previously saying it was due to remain open. The Rootes Learning Grid and Postgraduate Hub are remaining open for independent study.

All students will be able to defer an assessment period where a “Senior Tutor is satisfied that it is in your best interest”. Deferred assessments will take place in September instead of the Summer term.

For finalist students, examination boards have been granted “discretion” to “adjust classification outcomes” where there is “evidence that mitigating circumstances have impacted on performance”.

The University has also advised that if a student’s research project or dissertation has been impacted by the lockdown they should “discuss with your supervisor as soon as possible”.

The University has offered a “continued guarantee” that for students graduating in 2020/21 assessments taken between 13 March and 4 October 2020 will not adversely affect their final degree classification.

No new safety net policy has been announced. This follows an announcement from the Russell Group last week that there would be no need for a safety net policy this academic year. 

Warwick has already introduced an “automatic blanket 1-week extension” for eligible assessments where submission deadlines fall between 11 January and 1 February, with some exceptions. 

Students can continue to self-certify for a five-working day extension on an assignment twice throughout the academic year. 

The University “will continue to be sympathetic” to mitigating circumstances claims “where it has not been possible to obtain evidence”. 

The measures on extensions, mitigation and reasonable adjustments also apply to postgraduate taught (PGT) students. 

PGT students will be able to “resit failed modules with the exception of professional practice modules and unless constrained by accreditation requirements”. 

A new borderline category has also been introduced for PGT awards. If a PGT student is within 2% of the borderline for the Distinction of Merit category they will be promoted “if at least 50% of the weighted credits are in the higher boundary”. 

The SU has said the new package of mitigation “will be under constant review in the coming weeks”. 

The full information can be found here.

The University and Students’ Union (SU) Education Officer Megan Clarke have both been contacted for comment. 

(UPDATE 12.01.2021 19:32) SU Education Officer commented: “I welcome the University mitigation package which has just been released but think that some areas can still be worked on to ensure students feel fully supported in their education during these difficult times.

“SU proposals such as a new safety net policy and the relaxing of grade boundaries between degree classifications were not taken up at this time but the policy will be under constant review and we will continue to lobby for them. The reason we were given as to why there wouldn’t be a new safety net policy is that students do not have enough pre-COVID grades to base an algorithm on.”