Student Update: Latest Government announcement, student Q&A, hardship fund and student support

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

This week marks the beginning of a new term for undergraduate students, and I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome you back to your studies. Thank you for everything you continue to do to ensure that our University community can stay as safe as possible. 

Today's update includes information on: 

• Latest Government announcement on Wednesday, 27 January 
• Student Q&A session 
• Keeping your contact details up to date 
• Additional hardship funds now available 
• Support for students - 'Let's Talk About...' weekly conversations and Wellness Wednesdays 
• Students' Union Officer elections 
• The National Student Survey (NSS) 
• Covid-19 safety and reporting procedures 

There is a lot of information included in this email so please take some time to read and digest the contents, including using the links if you need to refer to them. It’s so important that you are equipped with the most up-to-date information in this ever changing environment. 

Government announcement on Wednesday, 27 January 2021 

Yesterday, the Government announced that there will be no change to existing restrictions to on campus teaching before 8 March at the earliest. Currently, only those on critical worker courses such as medical, clinical and healthcare subjects are permitted to receive face-to-face teaching. All remaining students should continue their studies remotely until 8 March at the earliest. Students and staff on campus should take part in twice weekly testing that is on offer to help limit transmission and identify symptom free cases. 

Students are advised to check their timetable in the MyWLV app for the latest details. Please continue to follow Government guidance and do not travel to the University unless you need to return for health and wellbeing reasons or do not have appropriate access to study space or a PC.  

I appreciate that this announcement will be worrying to those students on courses with a significant practical element such as laboratory or studio work, field trips, performance and sport. Your Head of School and Course Leaders will continue to communicate with you on how we are rescheduling teaching and assessments for these activities to take place after Easter. We are, of course, also making contingency plans in case the restrictions continue into next term. 

If you are finding that the ongoing restrictions are impacting your mental health or if you’re feeling lonely or struggling to stay motivated with your studies, there is lots of support available to you from both the Students' Union and the University. For example, there are details about the Let's Talk About sessions below and, if you are on Instagram, you may have seen our Wellness Wednesdays posts.    

You can register for mental health and wellbeing support on our website, and we have advice available for students who need immediate help.  

Student Q&A session 

It continues to be a highly unusual and challenging start to the year for everyone, and we realise that you may have questions about what teaching and learning will be like at the University of Wolverhampton in the new term. 

Students are invited to submit questions they may have about teaching and learning at the University this term. These questions will be answered by myself (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Julia Clarke) and your Students' Union President, Ayo Falana.  

We will share the recorded Q&A video with students by email and on our social media channels.  

Submit a question  

Updating your contact details 

To support the welfare of all our students, your contact details must always be kept up to date. Please ensure that where you live now (even if this is only temporarily) is recorded in your Term Time address (this may, or may not be, the same as your permanent home address).  

To do this, please use the edit buttons found on the 'My Details' section on eVision.   

Update your contact details 

Hardship fund 

In addition to the significant funding the University has put in place to support students experiencing financial hardship during the pandemic, some additional funding has now been made available from the Office of Students (OfS). Any students experiencing financial hardship, including international students, are invited to apply.    

• Log into e:Vison and go to your Student Home Page 

• Select My Finance and then Scholarships and Bursaries 
• Select Dennis Turner Hardship Fund 
• Applications should be submitted before Friday, 12 March. 

Students can access more information on the Dennis Turner Hardship Fund here: www.wlv.ac.uk/fund.  

Find out more

Join our 'Let's Talk About...' weekly conversations 

Join the Mental Health and Wellbeing team for their 'Let's Talk About…' conversations to discuss current topics, share tips and experiences, get a better understanding of uni life, and learn a bit of psychology theory too. 

Upcoming conversations - every Thursday, midday - 1 pm 

• Thursday 28 January - Race: How we can build inclusive communities? 
• Thursday 4 February - Failing: learning how to rebuild and not be defeated when we feel like we've failed 
• Thursday 11 February - Covid-19: What can we learn for this experience; what new perspectives are you carrying forward? 
• Thursday 18 February - Money: Tips for managing your finances and where to get help if you are struggling 
• Thursday 25 February - Study Skills: How to study more effectively 

This project is hosted as part of a collaborative initiative with the Student Support & Wellbeing team, with guest speakers from across the University, invited for specific topics. 

Find out more 

Wellness Wednesdays 

Wellness Wednesday is a weekly conversation that students can engage with through our Instagram stories. Each week we set a new topic for discussion, usually around mental health or University life, and ask students to submit their advice using question boxes, which can be shared anonymously. 

This week's topic was the best tips for working and studying from home. We received over 40 responses, which were insightful and reflective of the students’ own experiences. Here is an example of some of the top tips we received: 

• "Create a circle of study online with friends, mimic studying at the library together." 
• "Take regular breaks and designate one room for studying /working and create a checklist of things to do in a day." 
• "Focus on one module at once; don't try to do it all at once." 
• "Don't underestimate the effects of fitness on mental health; keep moving." 

The aim of Wellness Wednesdays is to allow students to see that everyone is going through the same experiences or even struggles and to share ways of managing these.  

Visit the WLV Instagram page 

Become a Students' Union Officer  

Think you or your friend would make a great Student Officer? Now is the time to let them know! You can recommend someone (or yourself) and register your interest in leading the University of Wolverhampton Students' Union by becoming part of the next Student Officer team. 

Every year, four Wolverhampton students are elected by their peers to run the Students' Union. The Student Officers are at the top of the student leadership ladder, working full time for a year (July to July) and receive £20,162 to represent students at every level of decision-making in the University, within the local community and on national campaigns.  

Student Officers lead the political direction of Wolverhampton Students' Union and become the organisation's face. Campaigning on behalf of students to ensure positive changes on anything that affects student life. 

If you or someone you know is interested in a student leadership position, you can nominate yourself from Monday, 1 February until Friday, 19 February. If you want to find out more before making your decision, please head to the elections webpage.  

NSS – National Student Survey 

The NSS is a national survey of final year undergraduate students. This week, eligible students will receive an email invitation to participate in the National Student Survey (NSS) and I encourage you to participate. 

During your time at University you have hopefully taken up the range of opportunities to let us know your views and have seen the changes that have been made in response to your feedback. This will have included your thoughts on modules, your ideas offered to student reps and course committees but perhaps most importantly, just talking to Academic Coaches, tutors, lecturers and support staff. The NSS is an opportunity to reflect upon your experience over the course of your entire degree study. 

Find out more 

Covid-19 safety and reporting procedures 

Everyone must continue to play their part in keeping our University community safe; this means following Government guidance and social distancing when required. Please follow these simple steps to create a safe environment for everyone: 

• Wear a face covering when required. Face coverings must be worn on campus in all our buildings at all times (including communal accommodation areas, stairwells and teaching spaces) unless you are exempt. 
• Wash your hands regularly and use hand sanitising stations where available. 

• Socially distance at all times and respect the space of others. 
• Follow the national lockdown guidelines, which restrict socialising with anyone outside your household or support bubble. 

If you develop coronavirus symptoms (a high temperature, a new continuous cough and/or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste), you should self-isolate and book a Covid-19 test. 

Anyone who experiences coronavirus symptoms or receives a positive test result must not come on to campus or must leave campus immediately, avoid touching anything and return to their home or residence.  

You should follow our Covid-19 Reporting Procedures and email: Covid-19help@wlv.ac.uk providing your full name, student number and a contact telephone number. Students should also contact their personal tutor to inform them that they are self-isolating. 

Stay up to date with the latest information 

Please keep checking your University emails and reading these updates. We are committed to keeping students up to date. We do this by email, on our social media channels (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) and the University Student News web page. 

Visit our dedicated Covid-19 webpages for information on how you can stay safe and help protect our University community during the pandemic. 

Thank you, and stay safe. 

Professor Julia Clarke 
Deputy Vice-Chancellor