Supporting students during covid-19
Published on 11 May 2020
In conversation with Hayley Colbert, the SRUCSA President.
- How do we prepare for the long-term impact Covid-19 will have next year?
We prepare by working collaboratively with SFC, SQA, QAA and the Scottish Government to follow and implement the guidance accordingly. In the case that we have to start the year with students starting remotely, we will have a new student experience with students who start the year working remotely and then move to on campus studying.
We will need to create a method of allowing the students to socialise and bond outside of classes so that they don’t miss out on key aspect of student life. We have an opportunity in the Student Mental Health Agreement to create projects that will work both remotely and on campus such as online tea and chat events. Gathering feedback from class representatives on what has went well during this pandemic which should be continued and what needs improved.
- How do we support the students we might not have had contact with previously?
In this new situation of remote student representation our new approach is likely to reach distance learners and work based learners more effectively than an on campus approach. It will be important for us to maintain contact with them. This will likely mean having a blended approach on our meetings allowing student to attend remotely and in person. We will likely continue to have more frequent student representational meetings. We have also set up a student community channel on Microsoft Teams where we send out information and any updates on a regular basis.
