rhifyn 1154 issue 1154
gair rhydd
27 ebrill 2020 27 april 2020
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Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972
Stay safe, stay well! Cadwch yn ddiogel, cadwch yn iach!
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Students express discontent with Cardiff University’s safety net policy
Charlotte King Head of News
O
n April 17, Cardiff University announced its safety net policy for 2019/20. It intends to ensure that students’ academic achievements are not affected by the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic since March 16, 2020. It also seeks to address any disruption caused by the two bouts of University College Union (UCU) strike action which occurred in both the Autumn and Spring semesters. In a statement sent to students, the University said that the safety net policy will ensure that module marks accurately reflect the academic standards students have achieved, that degrees awarded by the University are “valid”, and meet the requirements of national qualifications frameworks and Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies.
What is the general policy?
The policy has a lot of different elements. Firstly, it enables Heads of School to alter how teaching and assessments are delivered. Additionally, if students complete assessments but fail a module, the policy ensures that resit marks will not be capped on the first resit attempt. Instead, students can retry a failed double-semester or Spring semester module with no grade cap, and only their third attempt will be capped at the minimum pass mark. The safety net also allows students to resit an unlimited number of credits during the resit period, and Examining Boards are able to scale module marks when the marks obtained do not meet the expected standards when compared to previous years. Speaking to Gair Rhydd about the policy, James Wallice, a second-year student, welcomed the principle of the policy but said that the initial announcement was “convoluted”, “unclear” and “[left] students in the lurch.” Nina White, a second-year English Literature student, also felt that the way
the policy was presented “confused students and exacerbated anxieties” about assessments, and said students were left “high and dry” by the University announcing the policy late on a Friday afternoon.
How does it apply to final year students?
For students in their final year, alterations to teaching and assessments have left many concerned about how their final grade will be calculated. The safety net policy states that for final year students, the University will calculate both a ‘final mark’ and an ‘average mark’ when awarding degree classifications. The ‘final mark’ will be a student’s overall grade average of all assessments contributing to their degree, whilst the ‘average mark’ is their grade average of all assessments completed before March 16, 2020. A student will be awarded whichever is higher. Additionally, Examining Boards can raise a final year student’s degree to a higher classification, such as from a 2:1 to a 1:1, if half or more of a student’s credits which contribute to their degree have been awarded the higher classification. Speaking about the policy, one final year student told Gair Rhydd anonymously: “I understand that these are unprecedented times and the University is facing decisions that no one could have predicted. However, I feel they haven’t acted quickly enough in easing the pressure on final year students.” James Wallice also questioned how the University can address the disruption caused by the UCU strike action whilst using assessments submitted during the strike action to calculate ‘average grades’. He calls this “completely counterintuitive.”
How does it apply to non-final year students?
For those who are not in their final year but are undertaking assessments which contribute to their final degree mark...
Continues on page 4.
Marathon in the garden: Matthew Smith hopes to raise money for AgeUK. Source: Tom-Henry Jones
Cardiff University student to run equivalent of 33 marathons in his garden Tom-Henry Jones Politics Editor
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s the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the British public have been finding innovative ways to keep busy and raise money
for charities. This week, Gair Rhydd spoke to Matthew Smith, a Cardiff University student who is running the 1,407km journey from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in his back garden. Running approximately 500 laps
of his garden every day for 50 days, Matthew is hoping to raise £1,407 for AgeUK. Turn to page 3 to find out more about why Matthew is taking on this daunting challenge and how he is getting on so far.
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Coping with a Cyfraniad Aelwyd Cardiff University parent on the NHS y Waunddyfal at to assist with frontline gronfa PPE Covid-19 research Rhiannon James Advice Editor
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t is wonderful to see frontline workers like my mother, who works in an intensive care ward, being appreciated by the wider public. Having a family member working on the frontline during a pandemic brings constant worry, you know they’re putting themselves at risk of catching the virus daily. Additionally, the news is dominated by stories of lack of PPE and NHS workers passing away. In order to not let worry and anxiety dominate, we have been actively taking our minds off of the current situation. To read more, turn to page 17. 17
Tomos Evans Prif Olygydd
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ae Aelwyd y Waunddyfal wedi penderfynu rhoi eu henillion o gystadleuaeth y parti llefaru yn yr Ŵyl Gerdd Dant llynedd tuag at Tarian Cymru. Cronfa nid-er-elw sy’n darparu cyflenwad o offer amddiffynol i weithwyr y gwasanaeth iechyd a’r sector gofal yng Nghymru yw Tarian Cymru. Mae’r galw am offer amddiffynol wedi cynyddu tipyn yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf. I ddarllen mwy am gyfraniad Aelwyd y Waunddyfal ac am hanes Tarian Cymru, trowch i dudalen 6. .6
Christina Fowler Contributor
D
uring the COVID-19 outbreak, a number of Cardiff University scientists have been changing the aims of their research in order to investigate the effects and cures of the coronavirus. From researching how coronavirus affects pregnant women, to developing an effective vaccine, researchers have been learning how to tackle the coronavirus and it’s resultant disease, COVID-19. It is hoped that this research will contribute to understanding more about the virus and ultimately preventing it. Turn to page 18 to read more. 18