Trinity’s Fellows have written to the Vice Provost asking that all students return to College on September 27th, rather than having separate start dates for first years and all other years.
College announced last month that freshers’ week will take place the week of September 20th, with first years to start classes the week after – two weeks later than all other students.
Students will begin semester one on September 13th, but due to the late release date of leaving certificate results, first years will start on September 27th.
But the Fellows – a group of esteemed academics with a significant role in College governance – have said that they are “deeply concerned” about the effect that this decision could have on “the welfare of academic and professional staff”.
In a letter to the Vice Provost, a copy of which was obtained by The University Times, the Fellows said: “We are also concerned with how the decision for the semester dates was arrived at. The lack of timely consultation with the teaching and administration staff is certainly unfortunate.”
The Fellows have proposed that all students start on September 27th, with reading week taking place on the week of November 8th.
They have requested that exams take place the week of January 10th, 2022, with the Christmas break taking place as per the College Calendar. Foundation Scholarship (Schols) exams and the publication of Christmas exams results would both take place the week of January 17th.
Vice Provost Jürgen Barkhoff was on annual leave when the letter was sent and has arranged to meet the members of the working group who wrote the letter next week.
The letter continued: “We acknowledge and appreciate the difficult times and pressures college management has faced. However, given the serious nature of the decision and impact on timetabling and operations, appropriate deliberation with other colleagues, not least those who teach, was needed.”
“A later start date would provide the college community with the necessary time for module preparation and timetabling, as well as the heavy administration of the supplemental and re-sit exam sessions due to deferrals.”
In an email statement to The University Times, Trinity Media Relations Officer Catherine O’Mahony said: “The Vice-Provost received a letter on 28 June from Dr. Norah Campbell, Director of Teaching and Learning in the Trinity Business School and on behalf of a Working Group. The letter outlined an alternative proposal to the Academic Year Calendar 2021/22, which had been presented by the VP/CAO to Fellows at a meeting of 24 June 2021. The VP/CAO was on annual leave at this time and so a meeting has been arranged for Tuesday 13 July.”
“As soon as it became know that there would be a delay in the Leaving Certificate results the VP/CAO convened a meeting with Admissions, Director of AR and SL to draft options for the Academic Year Calendar 2021/22”, she added. “An extraordinary meeting of the Heads of School Committee took place on Friday 4 June to consult with them on the options.”
“Arising out of this consultation an updated version of the Academic Year Calendar 2021/22 was drawn up. It should be noted that the impact that this Academic Year Calendar 2021/222 would have on staff well being was acknowledged by those on all sides of the discussion.”
The Fellows said in the letter that “the college community has experienced a turbulent 16 months due to the impact of COVID-19 and wish for proper and appropriate implementation of a sustainable return to on-campus teaching”.
“Having Junior Fresh on a different semester schedule will cause confusion, jeopardise the running of shared Fresh modules, result in a 14-week instead of a 12-week semester, impact research time, and negatively impact the well-being of academic and professional staff alike.”
A later start date, they argued, would mean more students would likely be vaccinated by the time they return to lectures and Estates and Facilities would have more time to “equip rooms with the requisite blended learning technology and ventilation”.
It would also allow for “increased clarity from government regarding guidelines on social distancing, maximum numbers of students in rooms, etc”.
“Taken together, these considerations would place the University in a more sustainable position to support and maintain on campus teaching and the welfare of our students and Staff”, the letter added.
“We recognise the possible pinch points are assessment after Christmas, Scholarship examinations the following week, and outgoing Erasmus students. These also occurred last year and were successfully addressed, so we believe the solutions can be implemented again in each case. We urge you to consider this proposal and welcome an opportunity to discuss further.”
In an email statement to this newspaper, Dr Clare Kelly, one of the members of the working group who wrote the letter, said: “I acknowledge the challenging decisions College management have been required to make, and the time-pressure created by the very late announcement of a delay in the release of Leaving Cert results by the Dept of Education, for the second year running.”
“However”, Kelly said, “I am very concerned about the well-being of academic and professional staff, who remain utterly exhausted after this unprecedented year, and who are now being asked to coordinate, manage, teach, and assess extended, parallel terms for the second year in a row”.
