Sunday, May 11, 2025
Blog Page 475

Clothes without prejudices: a world of modest fashion, baggy clothing and androgynous style

Reem Sultan
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Clothes without prejudices: a world of modest fashion, baggy clothing and androgynous style

Reaching the ripe age of 21 hasn’t stopped me from looking for ways to feel young. Thinking back to dress up with mama’s clothes and sliding my size 13 feet into the toes of her shoes made me want to feel small and comforted, to go back to a world where I didn’t have such an unendingly busy life. It’s days like this where a jumper whose sleeves hang over my hands the way my mum’s dresses swallowed me up is truly a tonic- it’s the sweet feeling of being swaddled at a time where the outer world feels a lot to face alone.

Since I can remember, I’ve had a complicated relationship with occupying a physical form in a world where there is a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way to do that. Oversized clothes shift that public worry of what works for your body shape first and clothes second, by presenting a fashionable way for the contours of your body to be virtually indistinguishable from the layers and folds of fabric. It’s also, to a degree, more inclusive- with modest fashion on the rise, trends are now more open to people whose cultural or religious dress conventions might often contrast with popular styles. However, fashion is profoundly personal, and I’d hate myself if I accidentally propounded the 2009 not-like-the-other-girls, “she wears short skirts I wear t-shirts”, Taylor Swift rhetoric of placing a social prize on the retention of a coy female modesty- I prefer the idea that choice is meant to liberate! Liberation for me just happens to be my clothing functioning as a spare bedroom.

Central to any discussion of oversized fashion today is the roots from which its modern incarnation sprung- early hip hop culture in the 1980s and 90s. From MC Hammers’ blouse trousers letting him Hammer time unencumbered by the restraints of the common pantaloon, to Aaaliyah’s baggy trousers and oversized jackets (which sometimes flaunted her femininity by drawing attention to her waist), to Queen Latifah’s big tees and hoodies in the iconic U.N.I.T.Y video – not to mention the fashion of the most culturally significant acronyms NWA and TLC. These all point to hip hop culture (which both influenced and was influenced by Chicano culture) as a vital root for today’s oversized trends. Recognition of Cross Colours in particular (the first streetwear brand and hip-hop movement) who used their clothing to voice political and social issues faced by African American communities, is vital when appreciating Cross Colours cultural hallmark of how politics is embedded in fashion, down to the very stitch. It’s this oversized clothing trend, which has been recently remoulded into high-fashion palatable for the white and middle class, that has previously seen countless ethnic minorities profiled and, in many cases, worse, because of conventions surrounding their dress.

It’s easy to see how we can use our bodies’ as canvases for the exploration of politics, gender, form, and shape through what we choose to sport- whether the clothes obscure or reveal us. Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garcons, attaches particular importance to the void and the abstract, focusing on space and nothingness in creating clothes with and without shape- emphasising the value of absence and the glory of shapes and protrusions that serve to reconsider and reinvent the human form in a way that maximises its potential, rather than keeping within conventional moulds. Successful baggy clothing doesn’t have to be confined to designer labels, as one can, through the dimension, depth, and manipulation of form in the drapes and folds of pretty much any oversized garment make – in my eyes – an opulent, gorgeous, and unapologetically abundant creation.

The liberative qualities of oversized clothing have also historically (and presently) meant freedom from the prescribed feminine silhouette. From the famous 1920s lean n mean, gamine flapper dresses to the Annie Halls of the 1970s, tailoring has been used to convey a message of female empowerment, subversion, rejection of the past, or even just a rearrangement of priorities (bringing motion over poise, for example). However, there’s a paradox begging to be addressed. Historically, female empowerment by fashionable means has often relied on a concealment of ‘femininity’ in order for one to be regarded as having authority or reason. These days, though, what I like about oversized fashion is that through unisex clothing brands like Collusion, the idea of a gender binary is comparably void. Playing with shape and form without having to adhere to gendered silhouettes is arguably more comfortable in this arena. There’s a huge case to be made for oversized fashion concerning body image, gender conformity and freedom of choice for many, being a huge plus.

This is not a command for everyone to wear oversized clothing- I say this is a persistent problem concerning fashion. It is the policing of what plus size people can and can’t wear, based on what is most ‘pleasing’ to a public gaze fed by flat tummy teas and fad diets. In an ideal world, clothes wouldn’t be used to hide, but to celebrate- both the clothes and the body. Bottom line is (however shocking it may be): people should be able to wear whatever they want. The ways that fabric clings to it, hangs from it, moves with it- whether it is draped in velvet or barely covered by a whispery mesh, the body and its clothes are simply magical.

St John’s cancels ball without guaranteed refunds

Violeta Perea Rubio
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St John’s cancels ball without guaranteed refunds

St John’s College has announced it will be cancelling its Commemoration Ball due to take place on the 26th of June 2020 in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Unlike other Commemoration Balls in Oxford, St John’s will not be postponing it to next year and are yet to offer a definitive refund policy.

In an email sent to students this Wednesday, Professor Maggie Snowling (St John’s President) and Professor Patrick Hayes (Senior Dean), stated that they “are not able to say whether we will be able to offer a full or partial refund for tickets purchased.”

Tickets for St John’s Commemoration Ball 2020 were priced at £179 non-dining and £219 dining and are completely sold out. In the terms and conditions for the tickets, it states: “Tickets for St John’s Commemoration Ball 2020 are strictly non-refundable”, even in the event of cancellation.

Article 7.2 of the T&C states: “If the Ball or any aspect of the attractions at the Ball has to be cancelled or curtailed owing to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Ball Committee, including, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, no part of the ticket price will become refundable.” Some have questioned the extent to which the cancellation is “beyond the reasonable control” of the College, noting government confinement measures do not currently extend to the 26th of June, or a potential later postponed date.

St John’s College is the wealthiest college in Oxford, with The Guardian reporting it owns over £600 million in land and property. The College rejected a Freedom of Information request in December 2018 petitioning for a list of the assets owned by St John’s. In the past year, the college has been criticized by some of its student body for a lack of transparency, exemplified in the divestment protests which took place this February.

The President and Senior Dean at St John’s College did not reply to a request for comment made by Cherwell.

St John’s declared it is prioritizing to “honour its financial commitments to providers” such as free-lance artists and small contractors by using funds from ticket sales to pay for costs not covered by insurance claims. The College has stated it will “try to minimize” the amount taken from ticket sale funds. However, they emphasise the “economic challenges” facing St John’s at this moment due to the pandemic.

Other commemoration balls such as Trinity’s and Worcester’s have either been postponed to next Trinity or offered full refunds to ticket-holders. Hertford College was able to offer full refunds for the ball set to be held in the last week of Hillary 2020, despite its last-minute cancellation.

The ball committee was told that “concerns over the financial pressures faced by the College” made it impossible to promise refunds at this point in time. St John’s explained that the increase in “calls on our resources from students experiencing financial difficulties” as a result of the coronavirus outbreak is one of the main “economic challenges” inhibiting the assurance of full refunds to students.

St John’s College has recently faced backlash from its students for not prioritizing student needs and opinions. This criticism has resurfaced in the College’s response to the coronavirus crisis, and is increasing in response to the ball cancellation.

The College explained that postponement is not possible due to “both internal and external” factors. The ball committee was told by the College that “there was a concern that even restrictions would still be in place in 14 months’ time.”

However, the St John’s Encaenia ceremony is still due to be held in 9th week Trinity 2021, wherein the Vice-Chancellor hosts a Garden Party with a large number of attendees. The ‘Gaudy Dinner’ held for St John’s alumnae has been postponed from April 2020 to Friday of 9th week 2021. Similar dates were suggested as alternative postponement dates in a student-written Impact Assessment published on St John’s JCR page, but were rejected by the college.

The College told its students: “On one level there are problems with all of the different dates. But on a deeper level what we’re confronting is enormous uncertainty next year, with (among other things) the possibility of acute pressure on College accommodation, resitting of examinations, ongoing or repeated restrictions on events, and potentially very high levels of student hardships. In these possible circumstances, we feel it is not opportune to be planning for a College ball.”

In a statement on Facebook, the Committee said they are writing an open letter alongside St John’s JCR and MCR to present at the next Governing Body meeting. They have stated they are trying to persuade the college to make possible full refunds.

The Ball Committee has assured students they “will be working hard to liaise with vendors and reviewing contracts to see how much of money we have spent so far can be recovered.”

A Cancellation/Postponement Impact Assessment for St John’s Ball published on the College’s JCR Facebook page presents two scenarios. In the “worst-case scenario”, ticket-holders would be refunded £41.95 below the buying price. This lowers to a £31.05 refund gap in the proposed best-case scenario. The Assessment favours postponement arrangements based on a comparison of measures already taken by other colleges regarding their summer balls. The Assessment has since been removed from the Facebook page.

A student at St John’s College anonymously told Cherwell: “I no longer see the point in attacking a college governing body that is fundamentally obstinate and, despite all claims to the contrary, does not care about its students.”

Similarly, Alexander Wulfers, a PhD student at St John’s, tweeted: “I am devastated to hear that my college is refusing to guarantee students who bought a ticket for the cancelled commemoration ball a full refund. At close to 200 GBP, balls are a huge expense that many students save for over a long time.

“Lots of now-struggling institutions like our local movie theatre have been amazing about paying back their customers. I never would have expected that the one institution that is not forthcoming about this is my own college.”

A spokesperson for St John’s College Ball Committee told Cherwell: “Although we argued strenuously for a different outcome, we’re now eager to maintain a constructive relationship with the College as we urge them to move forward in a positive direction. The Ball Committee continues to work closely with the College at this difficult time to try and come to a solution.”

St John’s College has been contacted for comment.

Image Credit to Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia. License: CC BY-SA 4.0

This House Believes Oxford University is Defined by its Students

Jack Glynne-Jones and Joseph Mochhoury
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This House Believes Oxford University is Defined by its Students

Proposition: Joseph Mochhoury, St. Hugh’s College

Oxford University is defined by its students. And the Earth is blue like an orange.

The student is the best ambassador the University will ever have; the Oxford alumni will defend the University because they define it – and to a certain extent, the University also defines its students. This is of course reciprocal. It is not about the diploma, but about the diplomacy.

It is the success of the students that has made and is still making the success of Oxford University. Not the other way around, although the other components of the University (teaching, research, etc.) can help the students fulfill their potential. The student will always cherish her/his years at Oxford, often regarded as a new starting point. Scientific research shows us that in these years, the human brain is still developing until the age twenty-five. Innovation is key to all kinds of research. 

University is about using the Socratic method. It’s not about giving people answers but about drawing ideas out of the individual. This is why there is no age limit to be a student, and mature students do exist and are growing in numbers. It is said you never stop learning in the ‘university of life’ – this is the notion that life experience itself gives somebody a form of education not shown as formal qualifications.

A reason why Oxford University is so attractive is because students will emulate one another, and people genuinely want to meet other people like them. Also, talking and exchanging with students is the best way to have interesting cross-disciplinary discussions that are relevant to today’s world.

It is also the so-called ‘Oxford bubble’ that strengthens the idea of a stereotypical Oxonian student. Perhaps when this bubble bursts things will eventually change. A greater state-school intake will hopefully bring a more diverse outlook that will lead Oxford to a post-modernist universality. Oxford University is definitely progressive, a work constantly in progress and, thankfully, unfinished business.

As COVID-19 shows, it may be possible to move teaching and examinations online, but you simply cannot move the buildings. These empty streets just don’t feel like Oxford University, where so many nationalities are normally represented. It is a meeting place for students around the world. This is why now more than ever we can affirm that Oxford University is defined by its students.

Opposition: Jack Glynne-Jones, Lady Margaret Hall

Oxford University defines its student body before it has even arrived in Oxford. Through the rigorous application process, it funnels out those who it does not see as being ‘Oxford material’. These interviews have a particularly intensive style which supposedly identifies those who ‘know how to think’, who have an aptitude for a certain critical approach.

The interview style may favour those with audacity and a belief in their own abilities, and famously benefits private school pupils where Oxbridge interview training may take place. I know of people who have turned down their offers after being put off by the nature of the interviews. Those who enjoy these challenges are not only more likely to succeed in the application process but are more likely to accept their offers or apply in the first place.

If we look at the University’s major changes throughout history it is clear that these have been based less upon pressure from the student body and more on changes in society. Take the decision to accept female students in 1878 as an example. Arguments made by external feminist groups led to the formation of the Association for the Higher Education of Women, consisting of some college masters and wardens. The all-male student body, at best, expressed a perplexed indifference to their new fellow students. At worst, some engaged in boorish and intimidating behaviour. The decision to not only allow female education to continue but to set up more female colleges starkly highlights the way in which it is the University’s governing bodies that shape its identity, not the students.

Ancient traditions and architecture are perhaps the strongest factors shaping Oxford’s identity. When people speak of Oxford, what first comes to mind tends to be the Radcliffe Camera, Christ Church dining hall, the old Bodleian, gowns, Latin speeches, and peculiar parades through cobbled streets.

Oxford has seen plagues, the burning of martyrs, and the English Civil War. There are few universities in the world which can claim such a history. These things not only attract tourists but, I believe, act as a major draw to many students also. These strong roots shape not only the way others view the University, but the way it views itself. A lot of students who arrive with a scepticism of ‘posh boat races’, ‘port and policies’, and ‘bops’, soon find themselves falling for all the Oxford jargon, throwing themselves at these events, including myself.

Despite all this, I am optimistic that the student body plays a vital role in maintaining the University’s identity. The incredible selection of student societies, mostly set up by students, are a key part of Oxford life, and I highly value the way we contribute to the soul of our university. However, I believe that the institution’s old traditions and teaching style are the major factors shaping its identity. Perhaps it is because it is less the job of the student to change the University to suit their own desires, and more the job of the University to change the student, which makes higher education, and the university experience anywhere, worthwhile.

Album Review: Ruthie Collins’ ‘Cold Comfort’

Maxim Mower
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Album Review: Ruthie Collins’ ‘Cold Comfort’

In these days of self-isolation and social distancing, we find ourselves with a lot of time to look inwards. But no matter how much introspection you get done, one thing’s for sure — Ruthie Collins is way ahead of you. On her sophomore album, Cold Comfort, she shows incredible self-awareness, guiding the listener through a tumultuous tunnel of guilt, grief, and heartbreak, before courageously emerging out the other side.

The album opens with ‘Joshua Tree’, a movingly poetic tale of setting your demons free under the light “where a million stars catch fire to the sky”. It plays like a bottle of Jack Daniels honey whiskey, with Collins’ soothing, sugary vocals washing warmly over you before the kick of emotional rawness reminds you that this isn’t a child’s drink. The line, “Will you say my name like hallelujah, love me like you’re free”, hints at the underlying tension, and we soon realise this is a song about a lost loved one. The accompanying video fills in the gaps, with Collins being haunted by flashbacks of her partner’s battle with substance abuse, before it reaches its tragic denouement. The song is inspired by country legend Gram Parson’s death at the Joshua Tree Inn.

‘Untold’ carries the same gravitas, as Collins pulls you hypnotically along the winding road of “a love story untold”, the track building with every twang of the electric guitar to a bittersweet crescendo. She lets loose on the titular ‘Cold Comfort’, with a punchy, high-energy beat and a compelling hook. She tries to rationalise her pain, reassuring herself that it will only get better with time, before conceding that this is only a ‘cold comfort’.

The battle between head and heart is a persistent theme, particularly on ‘Bad Woman’, Collins’ recently released single. She grapples with her temptation to pursue a taken man, and playfully wonders whether life would be easier if she could just leave her conscience behind and do what she wants. Collins finds herself stuck in another moral quandary on ‘Cheater’: she begins to have feelings for a new man, and while her ex is no longer a part of the picture, she still finds herself feeling as if she’s cheating on him. Collins repeats the word “cheater” over and over again, as if we are hearing the voice in her head incessantly taunting her.

Cold Comfort is a tangled, thorny bouquet of roses, the sweet scents and elegance constantly countered by the anguish lying beneath. Every song has a sombre tinge, and this makes for a captivating listen. Given the testing times we are in, my initial reaction was to wish Collins had included a few shafts of light to break up the clouds of darkness that hang ominously over her new album.

I would still say some moments of uplifting levity wouldn’t go amiss, just to show Collins’ versatility as an artist. However, the more you listen, the more you realise that the tone of this album isn’t one of torment or pain, despite its subject matter. It’s overwhelmingly peaceful and easy to listen to, and this takes me back to Collins’ self-awareness. She may be documenting tragedy, but we hear her voice coming from a place of acceptance, and despite the flashes of agony that pervade Cold Comfort, the feeling the album imparts to the listener is one of serenity.

Collins’ warm, laid-back voice coupled with her vintage-chic aesthetic gives her an appealing uniqueness, and it feels as though she is heading for the country charts in her own lane. She draws inspiration from the likes of Patty Griffin and Emmylou Harris, and the poignance she gives to every line, every image, and every melody underlines her dedication to the history and craft of country music. If you’re going to be a country star, you have to be able to tell a good story. On Cold Comfort, Collins pieces together a richly detailed and deeply moving tapestry of tragedy, vulnerability, and, despite it all, strength — leaving listeners with a renewed sense of determination to tackle the unprecedented challenges facing us today.

Ruthie Collins’ album ‘Cold Comfort’, featuring the brand new single ‘Bad Woman’, is released on April 3rd.

LIVEBLOG: Covid-19 Updates

Cherwell News and Investigations Section Editors
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LIVEBLOG: Covid-19 Updates

Latest Updates

  • The University has announced that all university libraries and museums will be shut until further notice
  • Trinity Term teaching and assessment will be conducted online

This liveblog will be updated as we receive new information.
The University’s advice and information on Coronavirus can be found here.

1st April, 13:30 – St John’s College cancels commemoration ball.

St John’s College ball committee has announced the cancellation of their 2020 commemoration ball: Metropolis.

In a post on the Ball’s Facebook event page, the committee said: “We cannot begin to say how disappointed we all feel with the decision from the College to cancel the Ball.

“We were emailed last night with the reasons for cancellation and why postponement wasn’t a possibility. There were a number of concerns, such as the administrative burden of dealing with exam resits, unusual accommodation requests, and responding to unusually high levels of student hardship; the diary space restrictions, such as conferences organised for 9th week of Trinity 2021, whilst we learnt that the ‘Gaudy Dinner’, for alumni, had been postponed from April 2020 until Friday of 9th week, 2021; and fiscal difficulties, namely protecting staff salaries and providing academic hardship. We were also told that there was concern that event restrictions would still be in place in 14 months time, although we note that other events had been scheduled for a similar place in the calendar.

“At this stage, the College has not committed to underwriting refunds at this point, as has been done at all other colleges which have cancelled their ball. We were told that concerns over the financial pressures faced by the College made this not possible in our case, as things stand. Further, we were told that on the grounds of trusteeship, the matter had to be put to the Governing Body of the College; we were assured that this would happen in 0th week of Trinity Term at the earliest.

“In terms of next steps: We will be speaking to the College President to gain clarity on the following points: a solid explanation for why postponement is not a possibility for early Trinity/Hilary next year, and whether full refunds can be provided.

“We are writing an open letter alongside the JCR and MCR presidents which should be ready to present at the next Governing Body meeting.

“In the meantime, the Ball Committee will be working hard to liaise with vendors and reviewing contracts to see how much of money we have spent so far can be recovered.

“We will of course keep everyone updated in terms of progress. We can’t apologise enough. It’s heartbreaking to see all our hard work go down the drain; the Ball Committee has been working on this for almost a year, so we fully relate to everyone’s disappointment.

“We would love to see the Ball postponed to a workable date in 2021; failing that, we are aiming to persuade the College to help us give full refunds to every single person.”

1st April, 11:20 – University announces exam policy changes.

First Years
– All first-year exams, with the exception of medicine and law, have been cancelled.

Second and Third Years
– Most second and third-year exams will be deferred, although some will be cancelled.
– Some exams must go ahead since they are taken by a mixture of continuing and leaving students.

Finalists
– Exams will be replaced by “alternative forms of assessment” including open-book versions of standard papers, longer pieces of work completed over several days, or a mix of the two.
– Separate arrangements will be put in place for mustic and art performance paper.
– Open-book exams will be longer than standard papers, e.g. three hour papers will be extended to four hours.
– There will be a safety net policy, although the details are still being finalised.
– Students with concerns about access to technology or workspace will be supported.
– Those who are unable to complete the alternative assessment will be given the option to graduate with a “Declared to Deserve Honours status”, or they may sit exams in Trinity 2021.

More information here: https://cherwell.org/2020/04/01/university-releases-trinity-examination-arrangements/

31st March, 15:00 – Cambridge announces alternative assessment policy

Cambridge University has announced alternative exam arrangements for their ‘Easter’ term. Finalist undergraduate students and students on integrated Master’s programmes will receive a classed degree. However, a ‘safety net’ will be provided for final year undergraduates on three year degrees: “As long as a graduating undergraduate student passes their assessments, no graduating undergraduate student will receive a class lower than the class which they were awarded in their second year exams. The 2020 assessments will therefore only confirm the class awarded in their second year or improve it.” Postgraduate students will also be able to receive a classed degree through alternative assessments.

First and second year undergraduates will take “modified assessments” which will not be classed. Many will be “formative”, and therefore have no recorded marks on their University transcript. Some Faculties and Departments will make modified assessments “summative”, meaning work will receive a mark which will be recorded on their transcript, but no class will be awarded.

Finalists and postgraduate students who cannot take assessments, for reasons including illness, significant caring commitments, or technical difficulties, will be able to take the same method of assessment in a second assessment period when the University is back in full operation. First- or second- year undergraduates unable to take their modified assessments will be awarded an extension if it is formative or summative coursework, or will be able to take online assessments in a second assessment period.

Cambridge University states: “Whilst it has been agreed that the University should do all that it reasonably can to replicate the established examination processes for our students, we have acknowledged that the nature of the restrictions imposed by the national response to COVID-19 will inevitably mean significant changes being made to those processes. Consequently, Faculties and Departments have worked very swiftly to provide alternative means of assessment, which have been reviewed and are robust, fair, and inclusive.”

“There is an expectation that all students will be required to continue studying during Easter term, assuming good health and no significant caring commitments, either in preparation for the alternative summative assessments which replace examinations in Cambridge, or engaging in formative assessment where the Faculty or Department has chosen this as the alternative assessment method.”

31st March, 11:00 – University looks for Covid-19 vaccine trial volunteers

Oxford University researchers are looking for healthy volunteers aged 18 – 55 as part of their development of a vaccine to prevent Covid-19. They have started to screen volunteers to be the first humans to test the new vaccine, called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19.

The vaccine trial, run by the Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, will recruit up to 510 healthy adults, who will receive either a control injection or the new vaccine. The vaccine is already in production, but will not be ready for some weeks. It is currently being manufactured to clinical grade standard at the Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility at Oxford University.

Professor Adrian Hill, the director of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, said: “Vaccines are being designed from scratch and progressed at an unprecedented rate. The upcoming trial will be critical for assessing the feasibility of vaccination against Covid-19 and could lead to early deployment.”

The full details of the vaccine trials can be found here.

30th March, 14:30 – Summary: changes to FHS exams released by some faculties

Some faculties have released information about second and third year FHS exams. 

  • Second year biology exams have been moved from early Trinity to early Michaelmas 2020. 
  • Second year Experimental Psychology and PPL Part 1 exams have been moved from early Trinity to ‘later’ in the year.
  • Third year English exams have had some format changes. Finalists were in informed in an email that ‘The exams will all be open book.” The format of questions, and the length of answers expected will not change. These changes are not fully confirmed, and are dependent on the final decision of the University. 

Further information on Trinity term examinations and teaching is expected early this week. 

26th March, 13:35 – Worcester, Trinity, and St. Hilda’s cancel balls this Trinity

Both Worcester and St. Hilda’s College have officially cancelled their balls to be held in Trinity 2020 in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Both are offering refunds to ticket-holders. Worcester hopes to hold a Commemoration Ball in Summer 2021, whilst St. Hilda’s will organize another of its annual balls for next year.

Trinity College has instead postponed its Commemoration Ball to the 25th of June 2021. Tickets will automatically be transferred to the 2021 ball. Those who wish may instead apply for either “a full refund” or “a resale policy at a later date”.

25th March, 14:55 – Trinity term psychology exams cancelled

Psychology exams scheduled for 0th week of Trinity Term will not take place. The department said in an email to second-year Experimental Psychology and PPL students that they are “looking to providing Part 1 assessment later in the year.”

The email continued: “Unfortunately decisions on the exact timing of exams and their format do not reside with us, but with the University/the Examination team.

“Our strong departmental recommendation is for exams to run after the summer vacation. Please, note that departmental recommendations, however strong, are not an assurance of approval by the University.” A decision on when exams will take place is expected next week.

The department has stressed that it is working to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by the arrangements and encouraged them to express their views through the Student Union survey.

24th March, 23:36 – New model from Oxford researchers proposes that half of the UK population has been infected with Covid-19

A team of Oxford researchers led by Sunetra Gupta, professor of theoretical epidemiology, has proposed a new model for the spread of Covid-19, which appears to show that half of the UK’s population has already been infected.

The modelling, created by Oxford’s Evolutionary Ecology of Infectious Disease group, demonstrates that Covid-19 reached the UK in mid-January and spread invisibly for a month before the first transmissions were recorded. The new study is based on a ‘susceptibility-infected-recovered model’ with data from the UK and Italy, and brings back into view the ‘herd immunity’ model abandoned by the UK government.

The results of the Oxford model significantly differ from the highly influential Imperial College London model and suggest that current restrictions could be removed sooner than government indications, but Professor Gupta tells Financial Times that since the Oxford model has yet to be confirmed, social distancing will still reduce pressure on the NHS. However, she is confident that ‘humanity will build up herd immunity against Covid-19.’ Antibody testing on this new model will begin this week, in collaboration with Cambridge and Kent Universities.

The model can be viewed here.

24th March, 19:21 – Christ Church Ball postponed

The organisers of Christ Church’s commemoration ball have announced that the event, due to be held on Saturday of 8th Week, has been postponed.

An email to ticket holders said: “It is with enormous sadness we must announce that we have decided to postpone Christ Church Ball for the time being. We appreciate this is extremely disappointing, but it is the only responsible decision given the current set of circumstances. We will continue to monitor the situation closely to work out a suitable future date. However, due to the huge uncertainty of the present situation, it would be premature to do so at this time.”

Refunds have not been offered at the moment, but reassurances have been made that “ticket holders’ payments are safe.”

24th March, 19:10 – Petition to reimburse fees reaches 160,000 signatures

A petition calling for all university fees from this academic year to be reimbursed has reached 160,000 signatures on the UK Government’s website. The petition points to the UCU strikes and the COVID-19 outbreak being responsible for “poor” quality teaching this year.

The full text of the petition reads: “All students should be reimbursed of this years tuition fees as universities are now online only due to COVID-19, with only powerpoints online for learning materials which is not worthy of up to £9,250. Furthermore, all assessments are being reconsidered to ‘make do’ and build up credits.More details

“Field trips have also been cancelled which our tuition fee was to pay for. There is also no need for accommodation which students have paid between £4,000-£8,000 for in advance and adding to their student debt. Lastly, the extended strikes of this year have severely disrupted student-staff interaction and personalised help, with staff not replying to emails or available for meetings. Grading is also being delayed. Overall, university quality is poor this year and certainly not worth up to £9,250.”

The petition can be signed here.

23rd March, 18:39 – Magdalen closes library

Magdalen has closed the College’s libraries for all students, fellows, and lecturers. 

Students were informed by email of the decision after the Magdalen COVID-19 Working Group met remotely this afternoon. The email said: “We recognise that this will have an impact in particular on those Magdalen students who are still resident in Oxford, but unfortunately the situation is now such that we do not see any alternative. However, measures have been put in place to mitigate this impact as much as possible.”

Magdalen undergraduates will receive a book grant of £200 for the purchase of subject related books for the remainder of the year.

23rd March, 11:07 – Oxford researchers to trial COVID-19 vaccine 

Oxford University scientists are developing a vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The researchers have identified a vaccine candidate and are working towards the first clinical testing phase.

The vaccine will start animal trials next week at the Public Health England laboratory at Porton Down. Researchers are planning to conduct the first trial of the vaccine candidate on humans next month. This will move into a larger trial to evaluate how effective the vaccine is at protecting against infection. 

A statement from Oxford University says: “Scientists around the world are working hard to develop a vaccine to prevent COVID-19, but there is a lot to be done. A team in Oxford led by Prof. Sarah Gilbert, Prof. Andrew Pollard, Prof. Teresa Lambe, Dr Sandy Douglas and Prof. Adrian Hill started work designing a vaccine on Saturday 10th January 2020. The current status is that they have identified a vaccine candidate and are working towards the first clinical testing phase.

“A chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine vector (ChAdOx1), developed at Oxford’s Jenner Institute, was chosen as the most suitable vaccine technology for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine as it can generate a strong immune response from one dose and it is not a replicating virus, so it cannot cause an ongoing infection in the vaccinated individual. This also makes it safer to give to children, the elderly and anyone with a pre-existing condition such as diabetes. Chimpanzee adenoviral vectors are a very well-studied vaccine type, having been used safely in thousands of subjects, from 1 week to 90 years of age, in vaccines targeting over 10 different diseases.

“At the same time as preparing for and conducting the first clinical trial, production of the vaccine is being scaled up ready for larger trials, and potentially, future deployment.”

21st March, 15:44 – Cambridge offer second round of exams 

An FAQ released by the University of Cambridge has informed students that there will be a second round of examinations for those who cannot take their exams this summer. This additional round of exams will be sat “once the University is fully operational again”.

However, Cambridge have said that the additional round is only intended for students who have “legitimate reasons” why they cannot complete their exams in the coming term. Examples given by Cambridge include, “illness, caring responsibilities or technical difficulties”. 

20th March, 20:52 – Oxford looks to bring forward graduation for final year medics

Final year medical students may have their graduation brought forward to help deal with the Covid-19 outbreak. Many students in the clinical stage of their degree have offered assistance.

A media statement today said: “Over the coming days and weeks volunteers will be deployed to a number of key roles, ranging from administrative and logistic support through to clinical trials seeking effective treaments, to support in our clinical departments. It is amazing to see the scale of their engagement and willingness to help”.

“Although efforts are being made to bring forward graduation for final year medical students where possible in order to assist the management of the COVID-19 crisis, no medical student will be permitted to graduate until the University has evidence to confirm that the person has met the GMC’s required standards and outcomes. All graduating doctors at Oxford and all universities, whether they graduate early or not, will be of the standard needed to ente​r the medical workforce.”

20th March, 18:10 – Second-year Biology FHS exams postponed

The Biology Department at Oxford has announced it will be postponing 3 written papers in light of the coronavirus outbreak. The exams were due to be sat by second-year FHS students in Week 1 of Trinity Term. 

The new, later date remains undecided, proposing the start of Michaelmas 2020 as a tentative date. 

This has been decided based on the “unanimous view that trying to hold these examinations remotely at the start of Trinity term using novel formats is unworkable operationally and undesirable educationally.”

20th March, 14:03 – Ruskin College closes premises

Ruskin College has taken steps to close its premises from 20 March to 20 April. The college says they are following government advice to shut down in response to coronavirus. Further updates for Ruskin College students, staff and faculty will be available via emails and the college website. The college’s update states: 

“This step has been taken to safeguard the health of all students and staff. These are unprecedented times; the College will do all it can to ensure that you will continue to succeed in your studies. It is clear that the Department for Education will need to review the whole process for entry into University this year. We will keep you updated.”

19th March, 19:29 – Cowley Road Carnival cancelled

Oxford’s Cowley Road Carnival, scheduled for 5 July, has been cancelled due to coronavirus. The Carnival is one of the largest of its kind in the country. The organisers are planning other ways to celebrate Carnival without endangering participants. 

Pax Nindi, Trustee of Cowley Road Works, the charity which organises the Carnival said: “To keep spirits up over the coming months, Cowley Road Works hopes to be able to offer carnival pop ups which can be enjoyed from a safe distance, to provide much-needed carnival colour for us all.

Clare O’Hara, Director of Cowley Road Works, said: “We know that what the community needs now more than ever is a bit of the carnival spirit in our everyday lives, so we are putting plans in place to bring surprises, joy and togetherness into the lives of our local community.”

19th March, 13:42 – #WeAreOxford fund suspended

The City Council has announced it will suspend the #WeAreOxford grant scheme following government advice recommending social distancing. 

The #WeAreOxford grand funds activities which bring people together and celebrate what Oxford citizens have in common.

“This pandemic highlights how important a sense of community is for us all”, said Councillor Marie Tidball, Cabinet Member for Supporting Local Communities. She added: “But the immediate need is to support people in their own homes and protect the health of our most vulnerable residents”

Mar 19th12:24 Keble Ball postponed 

Keble has announced that the 150th Anniversary Ball will be postponed to the 26th of June 2021 due to coronavirus. It was scheduled to be held on the 27th of June 2020. 

The tickets will remain valid for the later date. They are offering a full refund to those who wish, but note “ticket prices for next year may increase”. 

Keble is the first of the many college balls scheduled for Trinity 2020 to postpone in light of unprecedented circumstances and government advice regarding the Covid-19 outbreak. 

For more information visit the Keble Ball Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/kebleball2020/

Mar 18th 20:12 The Bullingdon cancels gigs and club nights

The Bullingdon has announced it will cancel or reschedule all live gigs and club nights until the 2nd of April in light of new government advice on Covid-19.

Their Cocktail bar will however remain open as usual. They are offering refunds for cancelled events and tickets will remain valid for rescheduled dates. 

For more information and updates, follow The Bullingdon’s facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/bullingdonbar/

Mar 18th 17:00 Oxford Pride 2020 postponed

Oxford Pride has postponed its annual parade due to Covid-19 fears. The parade was scheduled for Saturday, May 30 at the Radcliffe Square. Organizers have made the “difficult decision” to postpone the event to Autumn 2020. A new date is set to be announced soon.

A message on the Oxford Pride Facebook page said: “Above all else, it’s of paramount importance [for] us to do as much as we can to promote the safety and wellbeing of our Pride attendees and the wider community of Oxfordshire.”

“Thousands of people attend our Parade Day each year, and as a mass gathering, we cannot run the risk of further people acquiring the virus within Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties.”

Mar 18th 14:03 Cambridge moves into ‘red’ phase

Cambridge University has moved into its ‘red’ phase. This means students are asked to return home if possible, all teaching will move online, and there will be alternative assessment arrangements. All University buildings will close by 5pm this Friday, aside from those needed for “business-critical” activity and for “research relating to Covid19 or other areas in the immediate national interest”. Libraries will close at 5pm today. 

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen J Toope, stated: “The government yesterday declared that it expects to take “further and faster” measures in coming days. I am writing to let you know that, in light of these latest government announcements, and of recent developments including a growing number of staff members now working from home, the University has today moved into its ‘red’ phase in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.”

“We are all facing an unprecedented crisis. It may be months before we resume normal activity. Throughout that period, the University will endeavour to keep you informed and up-to-date. We will need all the fortitude, resilience and generosity of our collegiate University community to get us through. I am confident that this crisis will bring out the best in all of us.”

Mar 18th 12:12 Union buildings closed

The Oxford Union will be closed from 5pm Thursday 19 March in response to the recent outbreak of Covid-19. Access to some rooms was restricted earlier this week, and the Union has announced to members that the entire building will now be closed.

A email to members said: “We are monitoring the Government’s advice, and will inform members nearer the time of our opening arrangements for next term, and keep them informed of any changes.”

“We are unable to give a definitive answer as to when the library will be fully operational again, but provisionally this will be in time for the start of Trinity Term.”

Mar 17th 17:31 Update from the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education 

Main points from the University’s update:

  • Trinity Term exams will not be in a written format, and are expected to be online.
  • The University is moving all teaching to online. 
  • Libraries will be closed until further notice.
  • Graduate students now encouraged to work from home.
  • Staff now encouraged to work from home.

Full text of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor’s message below:

“Overall, the University remains operational, However, we are responding by closing some public areas, and implementing local contingency plans. We are also encouraging staff to work from home, where possible.

Specific new advice for students is as follows: 

Recent changes to advice and guidance

Libraries and other facilities

  • University library buildings, as well as museums, will be closed until further notice. However, a wide range of resources are being made available online. Please contact the relevant library for further details, or visit the Bodleian Libraries website for more information. The University’s parks and gardens will remain open, although cafes will be closed.

Travel

  • The UK Government now advises against all non-essential travel, within the UK or abroad. It is unlikely that research or teaching and other University business will be considered essential – although there may be exceptions. Our advice yesterday to international students considering travelling home remains unchanged. Please consider that the global situation is changing rapidly, and if you are overseas then you risk difficulties with local quarantine, flight cancellations and border restrictions.

Events

  • In line current guidance on social distancing, the UK government now advises that large gatherings should not take place. If you are running a student event, please refer to the Guidance for Event Managers, which has now been updated online. 

Easter vacation advice for postgraduate students

UK taught postgraduates

  • A significant change is that we are now advising all UK-domiciled students on taught courses who have homes outside Oxford to leave the University as soon as possible unless they have a compelling reason to stay. This previously only applied to UK undergraduate students. If you are unable to return home, you should speak to your college or department/faculty and we will seek to accommodate you where possible. 

UK research postgraduates

  • Postgraduate Research students are encouraged to work from home, or from your University/College accommodation, if it is practical to do so. You should consult your supervisor to discuss any practical issues resulting from this. 
  • International students
  • The guidance for international students remains unchanged since yesterday – although the Government is now advising against all non-essential travel, which you should factor into your decision about whether to stay or return home. 
  • We recognise that some taught students may face considerable uncertainty over how to conduct projects and dissertations, particularly those with a laboratory or fieldwork component. We are developing plans to address this issue, and will provide more information as soon as it is available.

Trinity term planning 

  • Detailed planning continues in relation to teaching, learning and assessments in Trinity term. I can now confirm that wherever possible, teaching and learning will be moved to an online format, and we are developing plans for activity that cannot be readily substituted by an online format. We can also confirm that planned written paper examinations (scheduled to be held in Exams School, Ewart House etc.) will not go ahead in their normal format in Trinity term. Instead, we intend to move to an online approach.
  • Detailed contingency planning is underway to prepare for these changes, and details will follow as soon as more arrangements have been made. We appreciate your patience as we take this work forward.

Thank you for your continued understanding as we react to this unprecedented situation. As ever, if you have any questions about the above, please contact your college or department/faculty in the first instance, and we will keep you updated as soon as more information becomes available. We continue to post regular updates on the dedicated coronavirus advice page, so please check back frequently: http://www.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/coronavirus-advice.Mar 17th17:21Written exams will not occur as usual in Trinity Term

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor stated in an email:

“Detailed planning continues in relation to teaching, learning and assessments in Trinity term. I can now confirm that wherever possible, teaching and learning will be moved to an online format, and we are developing plans for activity that cannot be readily substituted by an online format. We can also confirm that planned written paper examinations (scheduled to be held in Exams School, Ewart House etc.) will not go ahead in their normal format in Trinity term. Instead, we intend to move to an online approach.

“Detailed contingency planning is underway to prepare for these changes, and details will follow as soon as more arrangements have been made. We appreciate your patience as we take this work forward.”

Mar 17th 15:48 Oxford City Council release statement on protecting businesses and jobs

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “The impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) is already being felt by businesses and their employees, with staff being laid off and those on zero-hour contracts being told not to come in. Without urgent intervention from central government, in a matter of weeks large numbers of people across the country will be facing problems with being able to afford to pay their mortgage or rent.

“The Government’s announcements to support businesses in last week’s Budget, particularly the 100% rate discount for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, were helpful – but further measures are now needed. The French government has, for example, pledged €300bn to support its economy, and said that no business will go bankrupt as a result of coronavirus.

“The City Council will continue to do all it can to help businesses in Oxford. We have a team of colleagues who are quickly facilitating Government grants and rate relief, and we are surveying businesses in the city to get a clearer understanding of their immediate needs and identify ways we can help.

“We stand ready to get behind the Government and help in any way we can. There is only so much a council can do – we simply do not have the financial resources of national government, and we are keen to see further measures and funding announced today.

“We need our government to adopt a similar scale of ambition as France to protect our citizens. The objective must be to protect businesses and jobs in Oxford and across the country.”

Mar 17th 12:07 Bodleian Libraries to close 

The Bodleian Libraries will close from tomorrow (18 March). Further information via the link below.

Bodleian Libraries to close

Mar 17th 12:05 Brookes confirms second case of Covid-19

A second student has tested positive for coronavirus at Oxford Brookes University, announced on Monday 16th March. 

Whilst Brookes has stated that both the university and halls of residence will remain open, it is declaring a number of reading weeks to start on Tuesday 17th of March until Friday 3rd of April. There will be no teaching during this period. After, the University has stated that teaching will resume online only, with no face-to-face teaching. 

More information:

https://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/news/coronavirus-updates/

Mar 16th 20:20 Cambridge announces contingency plans for next term

Cambridge University announced contingency plans for ‘Amber’ and ‘Red’ situations in an email sent to all students. In ‘Amber’, next term would continue, but with reduced social contact. In ‘Red’, teaching and assessment would take place remotely, with students staying at home if possible. 

The Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor stated that the university is currently in amber: “Amber reflects the delay phase now announced by the Government, and requires measures to delay the spread of the coronavirus. This means that, at the moment, we envisage that business will continue as usual as far as reasonably possible, save for large group meetings (we are judging a large group to be 50 people or above) and mechanisms are being put into place to reduce social interaction.” 

“If – but it is a big if – we remain in amber into the Easter Term, which begins in late April, we would anticipate that small group teaching and supervision would continue, and there will be enhanced measures for online teaching… In this situation, examinations and assessments would continue as planned wherever possible.”

“We must also however prepare moving into a red situation, in which much of the University will need to close. I stress we are not there yet, but must prepare for the prospect of it and possibly soon.”

“In this situation, students will not return after the Easter vacation, or, if in Cambridge, will return home where possible, and if not able to do so they will be accommodated in their College.”

“In red, there will be no face-to-face teaching: all teaching will be conducted remotely. Faculties and Departments are making plans to deliver this in the best way possible, using a range of methods including lecture capture, online/ video conferencing, and Moodle, recognising the needs of students in different locations and international contexts.”

“Faculties and Departments are considering ways to allow examinations to be taken online as open book examinations, or by adopting other methods of assessment, which may include: extended essays, portfolio of essays, vivas through video-conferencing.”

Mar 16th 17:48 Boat Races cancelled

The Boat Club stated in a Facebook post that: “The Boat Races are cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We are bitterly disappointed, but minimising the spread of this virus has to be the number one priority.”

Mar 16th 15:23 Pro-Vice-Chancellor updates the University’s policy 

Below is the full text of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor’s email.

“I am writing to follow up on my email of last Friday with some further information about Hilary term submissions, Trinity term arrangements, and advice for international students travelling home for Easter. The information included in this email may be relevant to you whether you are an undergraduate, a taught postgraduate or a research student. 

“Once again, I would like to reassure you that your welfare is of paramount importance. The University will put in place measures to ensure that no student is academically disadvantaged by their response to coronavirus. 

“Hilary term submissions 

“As per last week’s note, all timed, written exams during the Easter vacation have now been cancelled or postponed. It will be possible to submit all written assessments (dissertations, extended essays etc) online, and the Proctors have put in place a 48 hour extension to all submission deadlines, to account for disruption resulting from coronavirus. Your department or faculty should be in touch with you about the details.

“Trinity term teaching and assessment

“Many of you would understandably like more clarity about the University’s arrangements for Trinity term. I would like to reiterate that detailed planning is underway. At this stage, I can confirm that we anticipate that most or all teaching and assessment next term will take place remotely. I anticipate that more information about this will be available within the next week. Thank you for your patience while we make the necessary preparations. 

“International students: travelling home for Easter

“There has been a number of queries from EU and International students about whether they should return home for the Easter vacation. 

“This is very much an individual choice that should be made based on personal circumstances. If you cannot get home, or you feel you would prefer to stay in Oxford, you are welcome to do so and we will support you staying in Oxford. However, if you would prefer to be with your family, and it is safe to do so, you are welcome to return home. The Proctors have confirmed that residency requirements will be waived for all students for the remainder of this academic year, giving you more flexibility to come into Oxford as and when required. 

“If you do decide to leave, you should be aware that travel restrictions may make travelling back to Oxford more difficult. We will try wherever possible to offer remote teaching and assessment internationally. However, this will be dependent on local infrastructure and internet availability, so we cannot offer guarantees of worldwide coverage. We are putting contingency plans in place for students who are not able to take assessments in Trinity term. 

“When considering what to do, you should prioritise your own wellbeing and that of your family over any concerns you may have about your academic work. As per the introduction to this email, the University will put in place measures to ensure that no student is academically disadvantaged due to actions they take as a result of coronavirus. 

We will provide further information as soon as we have it, and I would encourage you to get in touch with your college or department/faculty if you have any further questions at this stage. Please also continue to check the University’s coronavirus advice page, which is being frequently updated.”Mar 16th15:12Trinity Term expected to be online

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor has informed students that “we anticipate that most or all teaching and assessment next term will take place remotely”.

International students will be given a choice whether to remain in the UK or return home. The University stresses that “you should prioritise your own wellbeing and that of your family over any concerns you may have about your academic work”.Mar 16th13:24NHS Oxfordshire releases new rules on visitors due to Covid-19

The NHS Foundation Trust for Oxfordshire stated: “With immediate effect, we are limiting visiting to all adult inpatient areas to one visitor per patient – and visiting hours will be restricted to 4.00pm – 7.00pm only.

“We are also limiting the number of people who can accompany patients to our Emergency Departments, Emergency Assessment Units (EAU), outpatient departments, antenatal scans and imaging appointments to one person per patient.

“In Maternity, we are restricting visitors to birth partners only for all appointments including scans, the birth itself and postnatal visiting.

“In Paediatrics, visiting is restricted to two parents / guardians only – no siblings.

In Maternity and Paediatrics the restrictions on visiting hours will not apply.

Case by case exceptions to the above need to be discussed with the nurse or midwife in charge of the ward or department.

 This information is also on OUH website at: https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/news/article.aspx?id=1204“

Mar 15th 11:47 Oxford Brookes confirms first case

Oxford Brookes University has confirmed its first diagnosed Covid-19 case on the 13th March. The University states that the campus will remain open as usual.

More information below:

https://www.brookes.ac.uk/alerts/coronavirus/

Mar 15th 10:40 University of Oxford confirms 7 cases

The University announced a 7th confirmed case of Covid-19.Mar 15th10:39Oxfordshire cases rise to 21

According to Public Health England, Oxfordshire now has 21 confirmed cases. 

Mar 14th 01:20 Hertford closes communal areas

Hertford has closed several communal areas to combat the spread of Coronavirus. The college’s JCR, MCR, hall, gym, and tutorial rooms will all be closed from Monday. The library will be accessible for book collection only. It is not clear if these arrangements will continue into Trinity Term.

The college has also introduced a social distancing policy which encourages student and staff to avoid face to face meetings, handshakes, and visits from friends or family outside of college.

Principal Will Hutton informed students of the change in policy via email this afternoon.

Mar 13th 13:31 Main points from the University response

  • All Easter vacation exams have been cancelled.
  • Domestic students advised to return home.
  • International students who cannot return home can stay.
  • 6 confirmed cases at the University

Mar 13th 13:24 Update from the Vice Chancellor

In an email from the Vice-Chancellor, she stated:

“To date we have six confirmed cases in the student body. We are in regular contact with these students and I am very happy to report that they are recovering well. I would like to thank the college and University teams and Oxford University Hospitals for the support they are providing. Out of respect for their privacy and following advice from Public Health England we have not revealed detailed information about these students.

You will have heard that the Government has now moved from the containment phase to one of delay in its response to the virus. This is an acknowledgement that we anticipate the number of cases to escalate significantly and that we expect this virus to be with us for many months. 

You will know that the vast majority of people who are infected with the virus will experience only mild symptoms, and that those who are most at risk are the elderly and those with serious chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes. 

In light of the projected length of the pandemic the Government has decided not to invoke at this time the more radical response adopted by some other countries. We are following Government advice. It is nevertheless the case that the operation of the University will inevitably be severely disrupted, starting with the measures outlined below.

I fully appreciate that the disruptions caused will have serious personal and professional consequences for many members of our community and will be deeply disquieting to all of us. I wish I could prevent that. What I can do is promise to communicate with you throughout the course of this crisis and to provide as much information as I can so that you can make decisions in the best interest of yourself, your family and your colleagues. I would also like to reassure you that we are very mindful that some staff and students have particular concerns about their own vulnerability or that of a close family member. We encourage you to speak in confidence to your college or department about your personal circumstances. 

The University intends to remain open until instructed to do otherwise but we will have to develop new ways of working together. In particular, we will have to adapt to using technology for meetings, teaching and assessment in ways we have not done before. This will not be a smooth transition but a great many committed colleagues are working tirelessly to make it as effective as we can. We will use the Easter break to prepare for the transition to online teaching and assessment.

While the Government has not yet instructed us to cancel large gatherings many departments and colleges will make their own decisions about meetings and events. We encourage the use of technology wherever possible. We have cancelled a number of University access events over the break including Easter UNIQ and the Oxford Cambridge conferences, as well as the Alumni Reunion in Berlin. We have also decided that the May graduations ceremonies will be in absentia only.

All exams scheduled for the Easter break (March 16-April 2) have either been cancelled or rearranged. All students concerned have been notified directly.

We are advising all domestic undergraduates to return home for the break unless they have a compelling reason to stay. This is to reduce the density of the population and the strain on college staff and support services.

International students who cannot travel home are welcome to remain.

For now, PGT students are encouraged to stay and study in Oxford.

The University will waive the residency requirements for Trinity term for those PGR students who choose to go home to work on their research.

The University and colleges will do everything possible to support those of you who have to go into self-isolation.

The Medical Science Division is cancelling all clinical teaching until further notice in order to release clinical teachers to the wards.

University museums and gardens will remain open for now. Libraries, like other University services, are putting in place contingency plans to allow services to continue digitally should they be required to close.

At this point, we intend to resume teaching in Trinity term but we will keep you informed as the situation develops nationally.”Mar 13th12:34Law Moderations cancelled

Law Moderation exams, scheduled to be held in 9th week, have been cancelled. Currents plans will be for students to take the exams as open-book, take home papers early next term. This information was sent in an email from the faculty to first year law students. They stated: “We will need to get approval for these arrangements from the relevant university bodies”. Mar 13th11:37Merton asks undergraduates to vacate residence

In an email to students from the Warden, Merton has asked all undergraduates to vacate college. Exceptions include “those from Category 1 countries and those sitting examinations in Oxford during 9th week”. Merton are asking students to leave by noon on Tuesday. They are also requiring students “to clear your room and take your belongings home”. 

Mar 13th 10:44 Colleges change vac res policy 

Colleges have changed their vac res policy.

More information below:

https://cherwell.org/2020/03/13/colleges-announce-vac-res-policy/Mar 13th10:33Magdalen sends students home

In an email seen by Cherwell, Magdalen has advised all Magdalen undergraduates to return home. It stated that they “strongly advise those of you who have previously been granted permission to reside in College accommodation over the Easter Vacation to return home this weekend”. Exceptions are made for those who “have University examinations or required course submissions next week, are unable to travel overseas, or have an urgent need to stay in College”.

Mar 13th10:22Vice-Chancellor to set out University position

Cherwell understands that the Vice-Chancellor will set out the University’s position in a letter later today. 

Mar 12th20:23Cases in Oxfordshire up to 17

Reported cases in Oxfordshire are up to 17, according to an update from Public Health England. This is the third highest of any local authority, behind Kensington and Chelsea and Hertfordshire. Mar 12th17:36Brasenose ‘Spring Fling’ event cancelled

Brasenose College has cancelled their annual Hilary Term event, scheduled to be held tonight, according to an email sent by the JCR President to members of the college. Brasenose will be refunding all ticket holders.

 Mar 12th17:06More colleges cancel bops

Cherwell now understands that at least 5 colleges have cancelled bops scheduled for this week: Lincoln, Christ Church, Oriel, Merton and Corpus Christi.

Additionally, St Hilda’s College has restricted access to end-of-term celebrations to members of the College.

Mar 12th 16:07 Second bop cancelled 

Christ Church have cancelled their college bop, due to take place on Friday 13th March. College administration circulated the information, citing their ‘responsibility to staff and students’. Christ Church have also postponed ‘Dean’s Collections’ for this term. Mar 12th16:01Total cases at the University up to 5

The University Oxford has stated that: “Public Health England (PHE) has confirmed that three additional students at the University of Oxford have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). All three are in self-isolation and are being provided with all necessary support and medical advice. This brings the total number of confirmed cases at the University to five students.”

Mar 12th14:43City Council plans aid for the homeless

The Oxford City Council has released a statement saying it is “committed to keeping services open and protecting homeless people from coronavirus”. They are hoping make use of a £500 million PHE coronavirus hardship fund intended for vulnerable populations. 

Mar 12th 13:59 Students at St. Peter’s advised to go home

Students at St. Peter’s College have been advised to “get home as soon as is convenient” in an email from the college Master, Judith Buchanan.

She urged students to “minimise risk” to themselves and others, adding that “exceptional times require exceptional responses”.

11th March, 16:52 – Careers Service suspends current programmes

The Careers Service has suspended appointments and events at the Careers Service building “due to the evolving situation with Coronavirus (Covid-19)“. This information was sent in an email to students.

11th March, 16:36 – 9 cases in Oxfordshire

The number of cases in Oxfordshire now total 9, according to updated data from Public Health England. 

11th March, 15:11 – Hertford Ball Cancelled

Hertford Ball, planned to be held on Friday 11 March, has been cancelled. Organisers have stated in a Facebook post that ticket holders will receive refunds in the coming weeks.

10th March, 22:21 – Lincoln cancels bop

Lincoln College has cancelled a bop, scheduled to be held on Friday 13 March, according to an email sent to members of the College.

10th March, 17:57 – New College services

New College has cancelled all concerts and Evensong services until the end of full term (Saturday 14 March), according to an email sent to members of the college.

10th March, 17:25 – 7 cases in Oxfordshire

Public Health England has reported than the number of official cases in Oxfordshire is now 7, up from 5 previously

10th March, 16:10

Second case confirmed

9th March, 23.20

First case confirmed at the University

Image Credit to Mike Peel / Wikimedia Commons. License: CC-BY-SA-4.0. 

Long Read – The EU Betrays Solidarity

Violeta Perea Rubio
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Long Read – The EU Betrays Solidarity

When the European Economic Community (EEC) shifted to the European Union in 1993, Maastricht Treaty emphasised ‘solidarity’ as its founding tenet. In the Treaty, member states created a common European citizenship and established the ‘European Union’ as we know it today – or more accurately, have known it until very recently.

It is this doctrine of ‘solidarity’ and common, equal, citizenship that is being betrayed and neglected in the EU’s fragmented and divisive response to the coronavirus crisis. Leading this treason against the founding principles of the Union is Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra, followed by Germany and Austria, in their rejection of providing centralised EU financial aid. Not only is the EU socially distancing, it is fragmenting.

On Thursday 26th March, European leaders met to further discuss an EU response to coronavirus – or lack thereof. Spain and Italy backed by seven other member states asked the EU for financial aid to help battle the current humanitarian crisis and to soften the short and long-term economic impact, a sort of modern day ‘Marshall Plan’. In line with the principle of solidarity they urged for a “common debt instrument issued by a European institution to raise funds on the market on the same basis and to the benefits of all member states.”

This was opposed by the aforementioned northern European countries. Instead, the use of funds from the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the so-called ‘coronabonds’, was suggested.  This recalls the severe and austere rescue loans given to countries like Greece after the 2008 financial crash. Though these were helpful and necessary, the current crisis requires different solutions with greater economic solidarity and leniency. Nevertheless, even the unethical proposal of granting 2008-style ‘coronabonds’ funded by the ESM, seen as better than nothing by Spain, and remaining unacceptable to Italy, is also opposed by the northern bloc.

Merkel told Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez: “If what you’re waiting for is the coronabonds, they’re never going to arrive.” In not proposing a new solution to resolve a new, unparalleled crisis, these nations are completely disregarding the vast, unprecedented differences between the 2008 crisis and the ongoing coronavirus emergency.

Using the ESM in the same way as it was used for the 2008 crisis suggests the current crisis is fiscal in nature, completely misrepresenting and neglecting the humanitarian emergency taking place. To put it into perspective, in Madrid alone there have been over 3,000 deaths. Juan Rodriguez, head of a funeral firm in Madrid said: “Everyday we begin the day as if a Boeing 747 had crashed in Madrid and all the passengers died.” In Spain, this amounts to four plane crashes a day, include Italy and it rises to eight, include the rest of Europe and countless planes are being shot down by coronavirus missiles, every day.

A unified EU response is needed to foreground the inherent idiosyncrasy of this crisis. Using the ESM would disregard the humanitarian emergency and imply that the countries most impacted are responsible and culpable for the economic crisis they are entering. It fails to acknowledge that this is a pandemic,

Hoekstra explicitly claimed superiority over the southern nations, calling for an “investigation” on the financial mismanagement of these countries for failing to fully recover from the 2008 crisis and have enough financial stability to face a new crisis, disregarding the specific, unavoidable nature of the coronavirus outbreak. Indeed, Hoekstra stated that issuing euro bonds is a “last resort” posing a “moral hazard by disincentivising economic reform.”

The question of future economic reform is the last thing that should be at the forefront of negotiations when there are thousands dying every day or not able to put food on the table because of the steep increase in unemployment resulting from lockdown measures. In conclusion to the ineffective meeting, the leaders postponed further discussion by 2 weeks, again demonstrating a lack of consideration to the immediacy of the crisis: 2 weeks in the exponentially developing coronavirus is a lot of wasted time, resources, and lives.

So, why should The Netherlands, Germany or any other economically successful country provide financial aid? The Maastricht Treaty emphasised the creation of a European citizenship, as symbolized in the burgundy passport – the first material symbol the UK has repealed since Brexit. This shared citizenship allows one to roughly model the EU as a single nation in itself. In this nation, Germany is the richest billionaire, together with France or the Netherlands. Spain and Italy are just about breaking even. They each pay their corresponding percentage of taxes – they are all eligible to access the public services of this nation, such as healthcare.

Let’s say, the citizen Spain, falls sick, should they not be equally entitled to healthcare despite making a smaller contribution to the service because of their income? This is of course assuming we agree with the accepted, widespread method of governing and administering the democracies of Europe. All nations contribute to the EU project in differing ways. This is precisely what makes the EU work – each member state has its own role in boosting the European economy and ensuring the four central freedoms of the Union.

Right now, Italy and Spain are the epicentres of the crisis. However, the epicentre is continually shifting, beginning in Wuhan, moving to Italy and now making its way to the USA. A strong economy doesn’t make you immune. No healthcare service in the world is currently prepared for the outbreak. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Italy is ranked for overall efficiency of their healthcare. Spain is ranked 7th, the Netherlands 17th, and Germany 25th. Coronavirus does not see these rankings and hierarchies, and neither should Europe.

Despite the efficiency of the Italian and Spanish systems, they account for half of the global COVID-19 death-toll. The EU’s lack of united financial response is therefore ludicrous. There is no means by which any country, regardless of their socio-economic management, would have been able to prevent a financial and humanitarian crisis as a result of the outbreak.

It is understandable that in these times of crisis countries want to put their own nations and citizens first. In Germany and Holland there is growing pressure from Eurosceptic parties, namely the German AfD led by Alice Weidel and Gert Wilder’s ‘Party for Freedom’ in The Netherlands. This further pushes these countries to prioritise their own needs and economies first, even in the face of a global humanitarian crisis. Yet, succumbing to these arguably nationalistic demands only weakens the EU project the Eurosceptics criticize, in turn, furthering their cause.

This outbreak is truly testing the core ideas of solidarity in the EU, and so far the EU has failed to meet the mark. Instead of acting as a union the EU has provided 27 diverging responses from 27 member states, reluctant to collaborate against the common invisible enemy despite existing as a Union. Placing a sense of blame on these countries, who in fact have acted most accordingly to the WHO guidelines against the virus, exemplifies a dangerous, inhumane lack of solidarity.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said: “What worries me is the illness of every man for himself: if we do not show solidarity Italy, Spain or others would be able to say to their European partners: where have you been when we were at the front? I do not want this selfish and divided Europe.” Macron is accurately pre-empting the destructive threat that this lack of solidarity poses to the European project.

The growing fragmentation of the Union is not new. The pandemic has revealed widespread divisions across the EU which have been hiding behind the Brexit veil. Since the 2008 crash, there have been false hierarchies developing across the EU, fuelling the fragmentation now surfacing during the clash over ‘coronabonds’.

This is a critical moment for the EU’s survival. If it fails to respond accordingly, the post-coronavirus financial crisis may well be exacerbated by the gradual collapse of the Union itself. Now, more than ever, the whole world has to show solidarity and unity against the same common enemy, looking beyond politics and border demarcations.

“Solitude, for me, is the opposite to solidarity” wrote Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez in “The Fragrance of Guava.” Now that we are the most isolated we have ever been, the most in solitude, the only thing that can keep us together is solidarity. This solidarity has to be demonstrated not only through individual actions, but in the wider institutions and leaders of our nations, in order to combat the oncoming recession of solitude. As a union of nations, the EU has a social responsibility to put their core principles of solidarity at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus, not shy away from them, as an example of unity in times of social isolation. 

Review: La Peste

Char Haley
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Review: La Peste

‘Nous sommes en guerre’, Macron said in his address to the French nation on 16th March. At the time, my mother and I thought he was being dramatic, amping up the crisis level to make himself into a peace-time hero. Now, a few weeks since that address, we understand why Macron used such inflammatory language. The COVID-19 health crisis has become a war against an invisible enemy, and against our own drive for personal liberty. 

“Love in the time of corona” has been on my Twitter timeline since the outbreak of coronavirus. Aside from being a fatuous attempt at humour in this time of great ‘uncertainty’ (the Queen, 2020), this modification of Gabriel García Márquez’s 1985 title is a good indicator of where people turn to in the face of a crisis. Literature and art are a spiritual comfort, one that we take for granted when we aren’t being oppressed by the fear of contracting a disease. So, when we are, we realise that literature and art are what can keep us afloat. This hilarious tweet could also be the tag-line of Albert Camus’ La Peste (1947). Set in the French Algerian town of Oran, and based on the 1849 cholera outbreak which decimated the town’s population, this mid-20th century novel sits at the top of the charts in Italy and is flying off shelves in Japan, as well as in South Korea. Understandable, really. We are living through the rampage of our own plague, an indiscriminate killer and, though not quite as gruesome as the illness that Camus gives his fictional characters, it is certainly as world-changing. 

La Peste is a long and winding tale of love and loss. It makes for quite a heavy read, considering the amount of death and suffering Camus makes sure to emphasize at every turn, but his characterisation is expert. If you’re looking for a helping of existential doom and gloom analogous to that of our own News channels, this is the book to read. There is also some comfort in its similarity to our own situation – and, of course, a great amount of discomfort, too. Camus began work on the novel while he himself was quarantined with TB.

Oran’s plague comes from rats, that old accomplice of ill-health. They start turning up in swathes: big, swollen rats. In the stairwells, in the gutters, by the bars and restaurants. And from the mountain of dead rats comes a plague the likes of the Black Death – bubonic and disgusting. Glands swell, blood is coughed up: the plague attacks the elderly and children alike. Hysteria erupts. The authorities aren’t keen to react. They’re panicked by the prospect of wide-scaled panic. Death tolls rise exponentially. The railways stop running. The town eventually closes its borders. Sound familiar? 

We follow Dr Rieux, a competent medical professional whose wife is out of town in a sanatorium. He is the first to identify the plague as an epidemic, and to urge the authorities to take it seriously. Rieux is the man standing next to Boris Johnson from the British Medical Association urging people not to go to family barbecues. Flanked by Jean Tarrou, a mysterious diary-keeper who eventually becomes a friend, the two navigate the pains and challenges of auxiliary hospitals with a band of other quirky characters, as well as trying to steel themselves against daily emotional challenges. There is a sensitive comparison between the church-going members of the town and the staunch atheists who treat the plague as a sad fact of nature: Father Paneloux, an opportunistic priest, is keen to emphasise that the plague is sent from a vengeful God. 

As Rieux and Tarrou attempt to help the suffering patients, a journalist, Rambert, is desperate to escape Oran and rejoin his wife in Paris. As someone who often views themselves as the protagonist of a French novel (thanks Françoise Sagan), I can’t help but relate my long-distance coronaship to that of Raymond Rambert and his wife. I resented him, at first, as I do those who ignored the quarantine and self-isolation advice from the government. But the yearning for contact with those cut off from me that COVID-19 has elicited has allowed me to understand Rambert’s fervid attempts to escape. 

Absurdism is a key feature of Camus’ work, and it is generally agreed that the plague can be identified as an allegory for the Third Reich, which Camus lived through. Fascism and absurdism are aspects of modern life that we are more than familiar with: with a steady rise in hate crimes in England and Wales since 2012, and far-right parties gaining popularity across Europe in the last 4 years, Camus’ political context isn’t so unimaginable. As far as the absurdism goes in La Peste, nothing is more bizarre than the repeated attempts of Joseph Grand, a city clerk in Oran, to write the perfect first sentence of his book – he re-drafts it hundreds of times, not managing to progress past that point. The futility of his attempts makes him a bit of a tragic figure, but in the flurry of productivity-prompting on the internet, pushing everyone to write their magnum opus in quarantine, Grand captures the anxiety of creation in a time of crisis. 
The book is perhaps not exactly what you want to be reading if you’re genuinely panicked by the outcome of coronavirus. Read a Stephen King thriller, watch some cooking videos, revise for your finals. But if you want some literary proof that the human psyche is stronger than the body, and that in our own struggle to stay inside, isolated from our friends and the wider world, we are not alone, then pick up La Peste. But make sure to give it an anti-bac wipe first.

University releases Trinity examination arrangements

Tilly Walters
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University releases Trinity examination arrangements

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Martin Williams, has today released information on Trinity Term examinations.

The changes are as follows:

  • All first-year exams, with the exception of medicine and law, have been cancelled.
  • The majority of second-year exams will be deferred, and some cancelled
  • Finals exams will be replaced by “alternative forms of assessment” including open-book versions of standard papers, longer pieces of work completed over several days, or a mix of the two.
  • They will be slightly longer (eg. three-hour papers will be four hours). 
  • They will be taken over a 24-hour period, to account for time zones differences.
  •  Students with concerns about access to technology or workspace will be supported.
  • They will implement a ‘safety net policy’, to reduce the risk of harming the outcomes of students’ performances. 

The University’s decisions were informed by discussions with departments, faculties, and an SU consultation of students. Information from departments will come no later than Friday 3 April.

Professor Williams stated:

“Following Oxford University’s difficult decision to move all examinations and assessments online in light of the coronavirus pandemic, arrangements have now been made for Trinity Term. Rearranging examinations at such short notice is extremely complex, but it was important to get it right, and feedback from staff and many students has played a vital role in helping us to navigate this balance. 

“While we will not be able to meet everyone’s specific needs, the solutions chosen are simple and uniform and provide flexibility for students differing learning needs and working environments, while still maintaining the University’s robust standards for excellence.  

A safety net policy will minimise the negative effect that future assessments can have on students’ overall outcome, so long as students pass all assessment elements. Further details will follow about this in the near future. 

We will also be offering support to account for students’ differing home circumstances, and for those who are directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.”  

“Our ultimate aim is to allow as many students as possible to complete their degrees to their highest standard, graduate on time and pursue the next chapter of their lives and academic futures. 

“These are distressing times and feelings of anxiety are a completely natural response to this unprecedented situation. All decisions have been made with the academic and physical wellbeing of our university community in mind. Support is available for students who still feel unable to complete their studies to the best of their ability with these mechanisms, and we are taking steps to mitigate the impact of the ongoing pandemic as much as possible.” 

The SU consultation has taken place over recent weeks, and asked students to share their views on exam arrangements. Speaking to Cherwell, Ray Williams, the Vice-President for Access and Academic Affairs stated:

“Our Teaching and Assessment Student Consultation (TASC) allowed us to tap into the views of thousands of students and put their concerns to the University directly. The key thing that was obvious from the consultation was the need for flexibility and understanding to accommodate the diversity of Oxford’s courses and the varying needs of its students. Students highlighted, for example, the essential need of some kind of safety net for final year students, concerns about what a DDH degree would practically mean for students, the applicability of e-exams to specific courses, and much more. These concerns have been reflected in today’s announcement. It isn’t perfect but as an initial response it’s the step in the right direction that we’ve been fighting for. 

“Both through the TASC and through various open letters students have been determined to get their voice heard and hammer home the extent of our dissatisfaction. I was able to bolster my arguments by referencing the many open letters that were circulated in my conversations with the PVC Education and other officials.

“There is still much more work to be done to flesh out these policies and minimise disruption to students including students who need more assistance to complete their assessments or access new ways of learning during the pandemic. As the student body’s voice at the table, Sabbatical Officers will continue to work with the University and lobby on behalf of students at critical decision-making meetings to ensure that no student is left behind.”

The full text of the newsletter can be found below:

“I am writing to confirm the arrangements for Trinity term exams, following the end of the consultation process last week. This is quite a long message, as there is lots of information to share with you. Please do take the time to read it carefully. 

“Before I go into the details, I would like to thank you once again for your patience over the last few weeks. I fully understand that exam periods are stressful at any time, and that the coronavirus pandemic has added considerable extra uncertainty.  I am pleased to be now able to provide you with an outline of the arrangements for the coming term. Departments and Faculties will then provide more detailed information later this week.  

Responding to student feedback 

“Rearranging examinations at such short notice is extremely complex and it is important that we get it right. I am particularly grateful to the Oxford SU sabbatical officers who have engaged so constructively in discussions, to the many students who took part in the Oxford SU consultation, and to all of you who have taken the time to write to me. I am confident that we have addressed many of the concerns that were raised – for example, providing flexibility to account for differing needs, and feeding student feedback into our chosen modes of delivery. That is not to say that we will be able to meet everyone’s specific requests. For example, some students have expressed a desire for all assessments to be cancelled, while others have indicated that they would like them all to continue. Clearly, we cannot suit everyone’s preferences in this situation. However, I would like to reassure you that your feedback has been instrumental in shaping our way forward.  

About our approach  

“Ultimately, we firmly believe that assessment should continue, albeit in an adapted form. The approach that we have developed is underpinned by the following principles: 

  • Support for students
    We are taking steps to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on academic performance as much as we can, and to take account of your individual circumstances, and particularly your mental and physical health needs.   
  • Providing a workable solution
    We have also worked towards a solution that is as simple and uniform as it can be – to reduce complexity, minimise disruption, and provide an equitable approach for all candidates. There may be some local variations, where there is a clear need.  
  • Focus on completion
    We are also working to ensure as many students as possible can complete their degrees and graduate on time. This will not only mean that you are able to move on to the next stages of your lives and careers, but also allows the University to prepare to offer the best possible education to our new and continuing students in the next academic year 

Outline of arrangements  

“With the above in mind, the approach that has been agreed by the University’s Silver Crisis Response Group, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, is as follows:  

First-year undergraduates 

“The majority of assessments for first-year undergraduates will be cancelled, and students will be deemed to have passed. Instead of formal exams, you will be supported to consolidate your first-year learning in other ways, including informal assessments to give you feedback on your progress to date.

“The only exceptions are Law and Medicine, where assessments are required for professional qualification reasons.  Details for these subjects will follow in the near future.  

“Where the first-year assessment includes coursework elements (such as completion of laboratory classes), these will normally be assessed on the basis of completion to the end of Hilary Term. Your department or faculty will confirm the details. 

Second and third-year (non-finalist) undergraduates, and first-year MPhil: 

“Most exams will be deferred into the next academic year, though a small number will be cancelled outright.  The exceptions are those third-year undergraduate exams which need to go ahead because they are taken by a mix of continuing and leaving students. Your department or faculty will confirm shortly. Further details about postponed assessments, and how the next academic year will be adjusted to accommodate them, will be decided as soon as possible. 

Second and third-year (non-finalist) undergraduates, and first-year MPhil: 

“Most exams will be deferred into the next academic year, though a small number will be cancelled outright. The exceptions are those third-year undergraduate exams which need to go ahead because they are taken by a mix of continuing and leaving students. Your department or faculty will confirm shortly. Further details about postponed assessments, and how the next academic year will be adjusted to accommodate them, will be decided as soon as possible. 

Final-year undergraduates and taught postgraduates: 

“Exams will be replaced with alternative forms of assessment in Trinity term 2020. These will take the form of either open-book versions of the standard papers, longer pieces of work completed over several days, or a mix of the two (except Fine Art, and Music performance papers, for which separate arrangements will be put in place).  

“Further details are as follows: 

  • Open-book exams will be required in many cases. Departments and Faculties have carefully considered the merits of this type of exam, as well as longer pieces of assessed work for their subject matter, taking student opinion into account.  
  • Open-book exams will be of slightly longer duration (e.g. a three-hour paper will be extended to four hours, with comparable timings for other paper lengths). Further adjustments will be made for those with approved alternative exam arrangements such as extra writing time.  Exams will be taken within a 24-hour window to account for different time zones.   
  • We will make an effort to reduce the number of assessments. And, in a few instances where a large fraction of the award has already been assessed, the remaining exams will be cancelled. 
  • We plan to implement a safety net policy, which will aim to minimise the risk that Trinity term assessments harm students’ outcomes, compared to their performance in earlier formal assessments. Because of Oxford’s very diverse assessment landscape, the details of this are still being finalised and will be communicated as soon as possible. 
  • We will put in measures as a priority to support students who are concerned about access to necessary workspaces, technology and resources.  Your college will contact you about this soon. 
  • Steps will be taken to address plagiarism and collusion, including the implementation of an ‘honour code’ and the use of specialist software.   
  • While the exam timetable will need adjustment, most assessments will take place at similar times to a normal year. However, most exams in Weeks 0 and 1 will be rearranged to help staff and students prepare.  

“It will not be possible to postpone  exams  for final-year undergraduates and taught postgraduates  until Michaelmas 2020. The only exception is for exams which are required to be sat in an invigilated setting by external accreditation bodies. 

Alternative options for finalists


“If you are unable to complete the alternative forms of assessment due to illness or personal circumstances, you will have two options available to you:  

  1. Opt to graduate with a “Declared to Deserve Honours” status. 
    This is a special class of degree (with an equivalent for PGT students), which we are introducing this year as a response to the pandemic. While the formal award will be unclassified, it will be accompanied by an enhanced reference indicating the class of degree the student was expected to achieve. We are working with employers and other universities to make clear that this is a recognition of the extraordinary circumstances which make completion of assessments impossible for some candidates. Students will be able to apply for this outcome by completing an application form at least two days before their first exam. No special supporting paperwork will be required.
     
  2. Return to Oxford to sit written exams in Trinity term 2021. 
    This option would require college support on the basis of your particular circumstances, as in a normal year.  If granted permission, you would only be able to return to take examinations.
     

Projects and dissertations  

“Projects and dissertations will largely proceed as planned for both undergraduates and taught postgraduates. However, deadlines will be extended to account for the disruption that the pandemic has caused, and factors such as missed lab work, cancelled fieldwork, and reduced archive access will be fully taken into account by the examiners. 

Teaching and learning (for all students) 

“As per previous announcements, all teaching and learning will be carried out remotely, and we are doing everything we can to ensure we maintain Oxford’s excellent standards of education, albeit in digital form. All students will be expected to complete the academic year, regardless of the format of delivery.  

Detailed arrangements and further information  

“Your departments will write to you by no later than Friday 3 April to confirm the specific arrangements for your course, and will be working through all the details with you thereafter.  

“There are particular difficulties around assessment of Fine Art and Music that mean the faculties concerned may not be able to give you complete certainty over your assessment by the end of this week. Students in those subjects will be kept informed of developments by their faculties. 

We have now published a large number of FAQs in the examinations and assessments section of the student coronavirus advice page on the Oxford Students website, as well as an introduction to open book-exams. We will be publishing much more guidance and support over the coming days and weeks, so please continue to check the website, and read the Student News to stay updated.  

“If you have any urgent questions about your assessments after reading all the information we have already provided, you should contact your department or faculty in the first instance. However, I would encourage you to wait to receive more detailed information about your specific course first, wherever possible.  

Support for you 

“Academic and professional staff across the University will be doing everything we can to support you in the weeks and months ahead. and the usual welfare support will still be available to you (albeit in a remote form).  

“We are fully aware of concerns over the possible impact of working in a home that is not conducive to academic study. Colleges will be contacting students in the near future to gain a better understanding of students’ circumstances, and we will take steps to support you.  

“We know that it is likely that some students will fall ill over the coming period, and some students will be trying to study whilst dealing with difficult family circumstances. We will work hard to support you and deal with these circumstances and others flexibly and sensitively.   

“We also understand that all students have been impacted by the effects of the coronavirus, some very severely. This will of course be fully taken into account in assessment and classification. Our examiners are very experienced in making adjustments of this sort, and will do so sympathetically and with great care. 

“I wish you every success with your studies at this extraordinary time.“

Further information is expected to follow from faculties and colleges in the next week.

Image Credit: Ellie Wilkins

Finalists demand predicted grades safety net

Luke Dunne
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Finalists demand predicted grades safety net

An open letter signed by 1,600 finalists has asked the University to give finalists their predicted grade as a “guaranteed minimum” in light of disruption caused by COVID-19. 

The letter, which was written by finalist Ferdinand Otter-Sharp, reads, “It is fairer to judge students on their performance while at Oxford rather than their ability to study effectively in hugely varied home environments while dealing with the extraordinary mental stress of being isolated during a global pandemic which will have hugely varied effects on students”. 

Otter-Sharp added to this in correspondence with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, Martin Williams, saying, “The minimum grade utilises the large amount of information about aptitude and attainment that our tutors have gathered about us as well as any past assessed work in order to assign students a predicted grade that would be a guaranteed minimum mark regardless of exam performance.” 

“This is not a proposal to completely cancel finals. Oxford students have been preparing hard for finals and are not the type to settle for a minimum grade. The proposal is to provide a safety net, to help those most disadvantaged by the current situation”

Martin Williams has given a statement in response to the letter, saying, “I appreciate the considered and constructive tone of the Oxford Finalists letter, it is greatly appreciated at this time. As rightly noted in the content, the pandemic is having a huge effect on students, who have been forced into an academic limbo, through no fault of their own, and I sympathise.” 

“Without question these are extraordinary times, that are having unprecedented impact on the way we live. There are a lot of unknowns for us all, but the University is working hard to alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty that our students are feeling, and will provide more information to our community about Trinity term teaching and exams in the next few days as the situation becomes clearer.”

This comes as Cambridge announced today that they will be cancelling exams for first and second years, and offering finalists their classification from their second year as a minimum assuming they pass finals. 

When asked about Cambridge’s proposal, Otter-Sharp noted, “there would be an extraordinary disparity between the treatment of disadvantaged STEM students and of disadvantaged humanities students if Oxford were to copy the exact specifics of Cambridge’s safety net”. 

Unlike in Cambridge, where all students take exams in first and second year, humanities students in Oxford generally do not sit exams in second year. 

Image credit to Saiiko / Wikimedia Commons. License: CC-BY-SA-3.0.

A fiery introduction to a freezing sport: ALTS Cuppers

Monim Wains
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A fiery introduction to a freezing sport: ALTS Cuppers

It’s Friday night – midnight, that is. The air is cold, the atmosphere tense, the tension high. A queue stretches along the balcony, eager chatter rustling through the crowd. The desk at the front screams over them, trying to restore some order and calm. Group by group, they file down the stairs.

Edges slide along the floor, blades shining, tied tightly on their feet, ready and tall.

What is this arena? What is the battle that shall commence?

Dear reader, welcome, to ALTS Cuppers 2020, recounted from an Oriel perspective.

For those unfamiliar with this peculiar sport, ALTS is ‘alternative’, or non-contact, ice hockey: no pads or experience needed. It’s a surprisingly open club; many who play had never been on the ice, yet have become regulars on the rink. Though the midnight start may seem antisocial, this is one of the warmest sports communities you can find, and the heat boils over in Hilary, when the cuppers puck comes down.

There were 21 teams to begin with this year, split into four groups. The rink was booked until 4am. As the midnight mark came closer, our team was ready, hungry for the games to come. (Sainsbury’s had also closed at 11 before we could buy our snacks, which might explain the hunger.)

Each game in ALTS starts with a ritual. A player from each team goes to the middle of the rink, and with three taps on each other’s sticks, the players scramble for the puck and the game begins. This is the face-off.

The first game was a win for Oriel, 2-0. A good start against a good team. It gave us confidence as we slid our way off the rink to watch the other teams play their matches. A few minutes later, we were back on. Despite our optimism, nothing sticks on the ice, and the next game would not be so kind to us; we drew 0-0.

With such a small group, and evenly matched teams, it was always going to be close. In fact, by the end of the group stages, there was a single point between each of the top three teams, and only two would qualify. All three had won two games so far. It was with one more draw that we had edged ahead, top of our group. Oriel’s Nick-elback had swayed St. Petersburg (St Peter’s College… well done).

The night had already been worth it, with all games contested intensely. As we ate the pizza generously offered to us by The Oxford Backpackers team, our thoughts turned to the next round.

ALTS has regular sessions twice a week (on Wednesday and Friday night) so most of the faces around us were familiar. We eyed up our next opponents and became concerned…Team Buck-Shot (Magdalen). They were good.

Each knockout match is played on half of the rink for three minutes (like a regular session). If there is no winner by the end, we go for a golden goal (that is, next goal wins). If there is still no winner, it goes to penalties, sudden death.

The clock started ticking. The game was as intense as expected, with both teams shooting the puck to the other end and chasing it to keep up the pressure. Sticks crashed into each other hard, with everyone panting for breath. There were attempts at both goals, but no breakthroughs.

‘One minute remaining!’ the speakers rang.

Still 0-0.

‘30 seconds remaining!’ More close attempts.

All on the ice pushed forward.

‘3… 2… 1…’

‘That’s game!’… all eyes were on us. Still 0-0.

It was probably about 2am. Everyone straightened up and slowed to a stop, beaming with the energy of the match. It was the closest game we had played yet, brilliantly fun. I felt a mix of excitement, enjoyment, and determination.

As the game restarted, the intensity increased as both teams sought an elusive golden goal whilst aware of the two minutes remaining.

We moved up to their goal with little time on the clock.

They backed up, defending the net with every stick.

We circled closer.

The shots went flying, looking for a breakthrough, rattling on skate, stick (and probably a knee or two) alike. There was a slip. Buck-Shot managed to get the puck out of the ruckus – not too fast, but enough to warrant a scrambled chase. One person went ahead, pushing it past our defensive line. Time was running out, and we had committed ourselves forward. It was a one-on-one at our goalie. The puck left the end of the stick, and we watched with bated breath.

It went just to one side of our goalie, still on the ice, and slid into our net.

1-0. Golden Goal. Buck-Shot were through.

We sighed, but beamed, smiling. We were all tired, but were feeling a rush of excitement. In all honesty, that was one of the best games I’ve ever played. Our cuppers journey was over, but we had no regrets.

ALTS is without doubt a weird hobby, at a weird time, but even when we were knocked out, it was a ‘good game’ all round.

At Cuppers, teams gelled through their shared captivation for the fastest team sport on earth. For us, and the club as a whole, that’s the win. It’s never something I would have guessed before starting, but now it’s something I hope will never stop.

After progressing to the knock-out stage of ALTS Cuppers, Magdalen were eventually eliminated in the semi-final, losing to eventual champions Somerville, who triumphed 2-0 in the final against runners-up Jesus.

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