18 Nov 2020 PG
Sent:18 November 2020 16:46
To:EnglishHoD, Resource <englishhod@warwick.ac.uk>
Cc:PGEnglish, Resource <PGEnglish@warwick.ac.uk>; PGREnglish, Resource <PGREnglish@warwick.ac.uk>; Storey, Mark <M.J.Storey@warwick.ac.uk>; Botley, Paul <Paul.Botley@warwick.ac.uk>; Barry, Liz <E.C.Barry@warwick.ac.uk>; Varma, Rashmi <Rashmi.Varma@warwick.ac.uk>; Moore, Sian <Sian.Moore@warwick.ac.uk>
Subject:PG teaching and research supervision plans term 2
Dear all,
I hope you’re all doing well. I’m writing to you here about arrangements for the rest of term and for next term (we’ll be in touch about term 3 next year). As you know, we’re currently in a period of national restrictions in which we’re continuing to offer blended learning. However, the University has now announced that all scheduled on-campus teaching in week 10 should now be moved online. This won’t affect all of you, but if you did have an on-campus seminar scheduled for week 10 your tutors will be in touch about moving it online.
Please note that the library and several study spaces will remain open over week 10 and into the vacation period so you should still be able to continue some of your research even if you can’t access all the materials you currently need. You’re always welcome to contact our library link, Kate Courage, if you need any help at all with sourcing texts.
Term 2 will follow the same pattern of teaching we implemented in term 1. This means that for PGTs, your teaching for the first three weeks will be online, and for the rest of term will comprise a blend of on-campus and online teaching. Your Tabula timetables will show you when you have online teaching and when you need to come to campus. Please note that these timetables won’t be updated until just before the start of term to ensure they’re up to date.
Some of your tutors and supervisors are shielding for medical or other reasons and they will teach you online for most if not all of term 2. However, please don’t assume that because your tutor was shielding in term 1 they will be shielding in term 2: government guidelines are much clearer than they were in August regarding who should work from home. Staff who are shielding will update those of you whom they are teaching or supervising before the start of term.
Blended learning means a commitment to on-campus teaching in term 2. I understand some of you have concerns about learning on campus: the University is clear that campus is safe and that all rooms in which you’re taught have been risk assessed. However, we will continue to follow the University’s guidelines on attendance, which state that if 50% or more students from a scheduled on-campus seminar cannot attend then that seminar will be moved online.
If you already have an exemption from on-campus teaching next term, I will write to you separately about renewing this for term 2. If you wish to apply for an exemption from on-campus teaching next term, please send me an email and any relevant documentation (medical or otherwise) that helps your case and I will be in touch directly. As always, if you’re worried about any aspect of your studies, please don’t hesitate to contact your personal tutor, the Senior Tutor, Dr Liz Barry, or myself.
The department will continue to send communications on next term if there are any changes, and we’ll update our covid website so you can also check in there.
One last point—all staff in the department have been so thankful for how well you’ve all adapted to the current circumstances, whatever your situation. While it’s been a lot of work for all of us, we’re grateful for your support through it all and teaching and supervising you has kept us all going. I wish you all a very good second half of the term and hope you’re staying safe.
Best wishes,
Emma
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Professor Emma Mason, Head of English and Comparative Literary Studies, University of Warwick