Senior Tutor's Report

Senior Tutor’s Report

BY DR JANE GREATOREX

The past academic year has continued to throw up both unplanned challenges and unforeseen triumphs. The original plan for 2020-21 was to complete planning for the Academic and Wellbeing frameworks, whilst building capacity for the increase in students. In addition, the Careers and Enterprise programs were to finally take shape. As part of those plan, the Library was to become the centre for teaching, careers and enterprise activities.

As in the previous year, however, plans were one again over-shadowed by the on-going coronavirus pandemic. In addition to managing the day-to-day business and the College transition, the pandemic led to new policies and procedures, comprehensive plans around supporting students during lockdowns and self-isolation and adapting to new ways of teaching. The students are to be congratulated for the remarkable stoicism they showed in the face of repeated lockdowns and disruption.

Because of the lack of A level examinations, in Michaelmas Term 2020, Cambridge ended up taking in an increase of students and the College responded by moving forward a year its plan to admit students of all ages. Consequently, our freshers cohort included thirty 18 year olds. We had planned an enhanced on-boarding program for our incoming students. This consisted of meeting the students (virtually) immediately after their offer confirmations and engaging with them weekly until either our Bridging program in the case of undergraduates, or the Induction weekend before the start of Term for post-graduates. This proved highly successful and feedback from students indicated just how much this helped prepare them for arrival. In addition to understanding how their education was going to be administered, there was a feeling that they had already ‘met’ key members of staff and Fellows, so were able to approach them more easily once they arrived in person.

Our Academic Skills program was established fully and developed over the course of the 2019-20 academic year. It is now one of the largest such programs in the collegiate university. Moving online increased engagement and the challenges of different time zones meant that recording of sessions made sense in terms of accessibility. A key part of the program, we remained in the Royal Literary Fund

Fellowship scheme in 2020-21 but this time had our own Fellow instead of sharing with another college. Provision was virtual during Covid but it is hoped it will return to face-to-face in 2022. Our librarian, Suzanne Tonkin, now holds the role of overseeing the Academic Skills program, supported by administrative staff from the Student Office.

The careers program had a major shakeup and revamp. Successful components such as Catalyst (“inspiring you to think differently about your future”) and Katie Heath’s (Bye Fellow in Careers) 1:1 sessions remain into the current year, as well as linking into the University’s “Handshake” scheme.

Planning for the Enterprise program was completed and this program started by feeding into the on-boarding of students for 2021-22.

Welfare in College continues to play a major role in supporting students in their studies and their lives. In 2019- 20, all the existing wellbeing provision continued, including activities like the free yoga, core strength training, all the events organised by the library and the tutorial organised support during what became the Assessment period. Due to lockdown the latter was virtual and well received. It went on to form the basis of a larger virtual support package for all in lockdown, wherever they were. Counselling continued in College with in-house provision two days a week, supporting the main University services. During lockdown (and on-going) this became virtual and was able to reach students wherever they were around the world.

Exam results were once more difficult to compare to prepandemic results. Apart from our relatively small (preexpansion) number of finalists, most other results were formed from assessment. This is frustrating for students and their teaching staff alike and we look to and hope for a return to in-person examinations in 2022.

Lastly, a huge thanks is due to all who have supported our students in what has been a very difficult year. Despite everything, medical students passed their degrees and once again headed out, early, to help on the front line, rowers managed to stay fit enough to take part in and triumph in a slightly surreal boat race and everyone prevailed.