On Wednesday 14 April, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students Kelly Coate wrote to all students following the latest Government announcement affecting Universities. You can read the message in full below.

Dear all students

We wrote to all students just before the Spring break to confirm that we were expecting an announcement from the Government at the end of the break with information on when students can all return to University campuses.  We received that information yesterday.

Full return to campus – from 17 May

The Government has decided that the majority of students, unless invited back already, should not return to University until at least 17 May 2021.  We are extremely disappointed that the Government took this decision, and we campaigned hard for students to be able to come back sooner, particularly as lockdown has been eased in retail, leisure and other areas of education.  We know students are keen to return and we have worked hard to prepare the campus and Covid-safe teaching spaces.

Whilst this government decision is frustrating, we must of course continue to adhere to the current advice – and this means that unless you have been invited back to your course directly by your School, you should continue to remain at your current address and study remotely.

We know that many students have already returned for wellbeing reasons and as part of the latest guidance the Government has said that students can return for mental health reasons or other personal circumstances.

The new guidance means that for the majority of students learning will continue online – unless you have already been invited back to campus.

We are working hard to provide a programme of activity for students over the summer, once the current restrictions are lifted, and we’re looking forward to sharing these plans with you soon.  We’re hoping to see lots of students enjoy being back on campus.

In the meantime, we will of course continue to support Sussex students with a range of educational, wellbeing and financial support measures.

Your education:

Your academic staff will continue to support you with the delivery of your education remotely so you can achieve your learning outcomes.

The staff in our School offices will remain available to provide help and support online.

For students unable to study at home, you can continue to book study space in the Library or click and collect the books you need.  For all students our Library is available online too.

We have a fantastic team of Careers and Employability advisors who are keen to help students considering their next steps, or what options may be available for internships or volunteering over the summer.

Wellbeing support:

We continue to provide a range of services, such as our financial and welfare packages including for students who have to self-isolate; our counselling service for students who are experiencing mental health issues and workshops to help students with low mood and anxiety.  We continue our partnership with Togetherall, a 24/7 safe community to support student’s mental health and the Student Space which offers expert information and advice.

Our extensive student support services provide practical help for students.  If you need help please reach out to one of our advisors – you can find the details here.

Financial support:

For students with University accommodation, we introduced a rent reduction at the start of the latest lockdown in January.  For students who have not returned to campus accommodation, this will continue.  Students with accommodation will be contacted separately with the latest information.

Students in private accommodation who are facing financial issues should contact the Student Funding Team for financial support and practical advice.

Our Student Hardship Fund is here to help those students who need it the most – because everyone’s situation is different.  We have been regularly reminding students about this fund this year.  We have increased our Student Hardship funding by over £600,000 in the past year, with 600 more students supported so far this academic year.  The Government’s recent pledge to support students in hardship would only amount to approximately £8 per student, so, the University has significantly increased the fund to make sure we can provide meaningful financial support to as many students as possible.  We will continue to allocate hardship funding to those students who need it, and make payments as quickly as possible.

The Minister of State for Universities, Michelle Donelan MP, has shared a letter for students to explain the Government’s decision-making at this time.

Covid-19 testing:

All students currently on campus are encouraged to take two Lateral Flow Tests (3-5 days apart) – you can view more information about Covid-19 testing at Sussex on the Student Hub.
 
Additionally, the Government has stated that students will be provided with free home testing kits which will be distributed to students on campus and we’ll share more information soon.

Looking forwards:

For those returning next year, it is our sincere hope that we can offer a predominantly campus-based teaching and learning experience for students in September 2021.  We can’t wait to see our campus full again and the city of Brighton & Hove brought to life with its vibrant student culture.

All the very best,
 
Kelly Coate

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students