Student Update: Return to campus update and hardship funding

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

As you may have already seen, the Prime Minister outlined the next stage in the Government roadmap during a briefing on Monday.

This announcement included plans to end the requirement for wearing face-coverings and social distancing in the final stage of England's Covid-19 roadmap out of lockdown from Monday, 19 July. The date will be confirmed on Monday, 12 July, after a review of the latest scientific data. 

In Parliament yesterday, Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson MP, also announced that there will be no restrictions on in-person teaching and learning in universities unless students are advised to isolate or are affected by local outbreaks. 

The Secretary of State's announcement was followed by the publication of operational guidance for higher education providers, which will apply from step 4 of the roadmap. This states that there will be no requirement for social distancing or other measures for on-campus teaching. Universities will therefore be able to shape their courses without restrictions to face-to-face provision. In line with all other teaching settings, universities should continue to conduct risk assessments and implement sensible control measures to reduce the risk to the lowest possible level. Universities should also have plans in place to deal with any positive cases of Covid-19 or outbreaks.  

Whilst the return to on-campus teaching will be welcomed by many students and staff, I appreciate that there will be some people who are anxious about this. Some students may not feel safe returning to campus because of underlying health conditions or other reasons. We all need to ensure that we work in a way that recognises the impact of Covid-19 and make sure that we are careful in everything we do.  

Throughout the pandemic, we have followed the latest Government guidance and have also worked closely with our local authority partners, and this continues to be the case. The move is now towards personal responsibility, as the wearing of face-coverings and social distancing will be on a voluntary basis. We will follow the Government guidance on this but within a Covid-informed environment.   

I will discuss our planning for the next academic year with the Students' Union Sabbatical Officers and School Reps and will keep you updated on our plans over the summer.  

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Ayo Falana and Esther Shonibare for all their amazing work over the last couple of years and welcome the new incoming President of the SU Tayabah Mahmood and Diversity Officer, Angel Morphew.   

Hardship funding  

This year continues to be difficult for everyone, and we recognise that this is a highly unusual time to be a student. Hardship funding is available to all students, home and international, experiencing financial difficulties. It offers short-term support with a one-off payment that can help you to pay rent or bills, buy food or get IT equipment and Wi-Fi access that you need for your studies.  

Students who wish to benefit from the hardship fund are urged to apply as soon as possible, before the deadline on Monday, 12 July. 

Applications for the Hardship Fund should be made through e:Vision. 

• On the homepage, select the Finance button 
• Click on Scholarships and Bursaries 
• Click on the Apply or upload evidence for the Dennis Turner Hardship Fund button 

• Then choose Assessment based on Financial Hardship from the drop-down list. 

You will be required to provide a brief statement and submit evidence (e.g., bank statement, proof of address and evidence of how you are funding your studies). 

International students should be aware that this money is not public funding and will not affect your visa. Please do not worry that you may get into trouble if you claim these funds. 

Further information on the funds, including how to make a claim and the evidence required, can be found here: www.wlv.ac.uk/fund. 

If you would like advice on making an application, please email money@wlv.ac.uk and include your student number in the subject box.  

For further advice and support with your application, you can contact the Students' Union Advice and Representation Centre (ARC). You may also wish to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) for financial advice and check your eligibility for benefits. 

Please be aware that other financial support, like emergency loans and bursaries, will continue to be available at all times after the hardship fund deadline. 

Stay up to date with the latest information     

Please keep checking your University WLV emails and reading these updates. We are committed to keeping students up to date. We do this by email, on our social media channels (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) and the University student news webpage.     

Visit our dedicated Covid-19 webpages for information on how you can stay safe and help protect our University community during the pandemic.    

If you are in the final year of your studies, please remember that you can access help and support with planning your next steps through the Class of 2021 programme. 

Thank you, and stay safe. 

Professor Julia Clarke 

Deputy Vice-Chancellor