Yahoo News Several universities investigated over Covid-19 disruption amid growing calls for refunds
Several universities are being investigated over concerns they are failing to provide a good quality education due to Covid-19, it emerged on Monday, as vice-chancellors were told they may have to partially refund students.
The university watchdog the Office for Students said it would investigate any institution it believed had failed to uphold standards or where “quality is slipping for groups of students”.
A spokesman confirmed it was already investigating a number of universities after it was alerted to concerns over “teaching arrangements or other potential breaches of our regulatory conditions as a consequence of the pandemic.”
Warning universities they could not simply dismiss mounting calls for refunds, Nicola Dandridge, the regulator’s chief executive, said: “Students have a right to good-quality higher education - whether that is taught online, in-person or a mixture of the two.
“Students make a significant investment in their higher education and have rights as consumers.
“In considering whether to make partial tuition fee refunds, we would expect a university to consider the circumstances for each student rather than to adopt a blanket policy that refunds are not available.”
It came as thousands of students were on Monday self-isolating in halls across England and Scotland, with as many as 40 universities reporting Covid-19 cases.
Aberystwyth became the latest university to suspend face-to-face teaching, prompting students to question why they have been told to leave home only to be forced to study remotely.
At Manchester Metropolitan University, where 1,700 students are self-isolating after 127 tested positive for the disease, all classes for first year and foundation students have also been moved online.
Professor Malcolm Press, the university’s vice chancellor, said that a “significant amount of money” would be released to compensate students affected by restrictions, on top of a care package that includes “basic food”.
Exeter University also urged students to stop mixing with anyone outside of their household for a fortnight, except for study, work, organised sport or in an emergency.
Boris Johnson is now being urged to make online teaching the default position across the sector, while Labour has urged the Government to consider postponing the academic year for universities that have not yet reopened.
Today the party will demand that Education Secretary Gavin Williamson guarantee that no student will be forced to stay at university over Christmas and that teaching standards will not be compromised.
Separately, the University College Union wrote to Mr Johnson warning that many universities were refusing to move online because the Government had refused to underwrite their losses and due to their dependence on rent from student accommodation.
However, with many universities promising to provide a mix of online and face-to-face teaching, there are now growing calls for students whose education has been disrupted to receive either partial tuition fee refunds or relief on their rent.
In May, Ms Dandridge told MPs that universities must not make false promises to prospective students that campus life would “back to usual”, only to then be forced to change plans to the pandemic.
While many institutions have opted for a mix of online and face-to-face teaching, Ms Dandridge said the regulator would not accept a situation where universities were simply “bunging lectures online.”
In a fresh warning on Monday she added: “Where students need to go into isolation, universities have to be clear about how courses will continue to operate in these circumstances and what welfare, resources and support are available.
“Universities should provide information about how testing can be accessed where it is expected by the health authorities and ensure that such students can access food and other essential provisions.
“We will be following up with individual universities and colleges where we have concerns about the arrangements they are making for teaching and academic support."
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme earlier in the day, Ms Dandridge added that the question of blanket refunds was a matter for the Government.
A spokesman added that the regulator did not have power to award refunds and that individual students would need to escalate their complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator should they fail to reach a resolution with their university.
Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said the Government had been clear that universities "must give as much clarity to students as possible on the tuition they will be receiving", as well as providing guidance on testing and resources to support their welfare.
She added: “From the start of the pandemic, we have been clear that we expect universities to continue to deliver a high quality academic experience for all student.
"The Government has worked closely with the sector through the Higher Education Taskforce to ensure they are providing online and in-person learning to limit disruption to tuition."
However, when asked if the Prime Minister believed some students should be entitled to refunds, his spokesman said only that universities were “autonomous” and set their own fees.
Asked if he was concerned at the prospect of students being forced to remain on campus over the festive period, the spokesman added: "We would expect all students to be able to go home at Christmas."
