PART THREE
requirements for applicants were an internet-enabled computer with freelydownloadable Zoom software controlling the video and audio streams, and a pen and paper. This, we felt, was the minimum needed in the circumstances. There was no advantage provided by additional technology, and in fact we discouraged anything more advanced. Despite all the efforts, we acknowledge that we could not be assured of faultless technology, but we formed a robust yet simple plan if problems occurred, and this was communicated to interviewers, the schools and colleges, and the applicants. After their interviews, applicants were encouraged to complete an online form reporting any issues encountered, and so we had a contemporary record of even minor issues. Thankfully, the vast majority reported a perfect connection and the reported issues rarely required more than for an interviewer to repeat the question after an audio glitch. This is in no small part due to the excellent service by our IT Department in setting us up with a strong yet simple system. If there was any doubt about the technology during an interview, we had left time and space to extend the time or to re-interview. The mantra was that we must be able to assess each applicant fairly, and I have no doubt that we achieved this. We also continued with our outreach efforts. Again, these moved to a virtual format, but given that many students were working from home, this allowed the required flexibility. Sessions could be delivered live, but also recorded and made available so that access could be given to those unable to connect. Much of the material could be accessed on an internet-enabled phone for greater opportunity to engage. It is fair to say that we missed the direct contact that can be achieved with school visits and these will return as soon as it is safe to do so. The future will undoubtedly incorporate what we have learnt from our virtual sessions, but there is no appetite to replace in-person sessions, only to offer flexibility. Outside the traditional limits of floorspace, over 1,000 pupils engaged with our HEplus sessions via our two consortia in West Yorkshire. In the summer of 2020, Dr Kirsty McDougall was appointed to a university lectureship in Linguistics and so she left the role of Arts/Humanities Admissions Tutor. She had done an excellent job over the last few years running the arts side of admissions, taking real care over admissions in her range of Triposes, large and small. As she pointed out, Selwyn has a relatively high proportion of arts/humanities applicants due to our reputation as a college that is strong in teaching and research in those Triposes – and also thanks to our proximity to the Sidgwick Site. To our great relief, Steve Watts, our Director of Studies in Education was able to step into the Arts/Humanities Admissions Tutor role for the extremely challenging admissions round. He has an enormous amount of experience with admissions over many years, including having been a chair of the inter-collegiate Admissions Forum. Steve can now go gracefully back into retirement, as Dr Tom Smith (Keasbey Fellow) has been appointed to the Arts/Humanities Admissions Tutor role and we look forward to working with Tom starting in the summer. So much of the last year has been about planning and logistics. The success of the admissions round is due to our interviewers’ efforts, but to have made this happen relies on the Admissions Office. Stephanie Pym has, as always, worked tirelessly to keep everything on track. Chloe Cupid, and then from the summer of 2020 Grace Glevey, have been vital in our schools liaison role during such a challenging time. Daniel Beauregard and Stuart Eves
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