Easter and beyond

Read a message from Claire Morgan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students sent on 17 March.

Dear Student

My email today allows me to update you on the welcome return to study of all our students after Easter, current travel advice during Easter and how to access student support.

Return for all students after Easter

You may be aware that on Monday, the Education Minister Kirsty Williams gave an update on what you can expect after the Easter break, during which she expressed her gratitude to students in Wales for supporting safety measures.

• Teaching after Easter: those students yet to resume in-person teaching can expect a return to blended learning from 12 April (our Spring semester resumes on Monday 19 April). Your School will be in touch by the end of next week with an update on what this means for you depending on your course/year of study. We know many of you have already returned to Cardiff to make use of on-campus facilities (e.g. libraries, study spaces).
• Travelling back to Cardiff safely: If you are returning to Cardiff, it is still really important that you book a screening test for your return, travel safely, and lie low while you wait for your result (this includes continuing to stay out of one another’s homes, minimising the people you meet, maintaining social distancing and regular handwashing).
• Staying covid-safe in Cardiff: please keep using our screening service on a weekly basis if you do not have COVID-19 symptoms. In Cardiff (and the Vale of Glamorgan) COVID-19 symptoms now includes both common ones (a new continuous cough, a high temperature, and/or loss of or change to sense of smell or taste) and other symptoms (fatigue, myalgia (muscle ache or pain), a sore throat, a headache, sneezing, a runny nose, a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea). If you have any of these symptoms you should self-isolate and book an NHS COVID-19 test. However, those you live with do not need to self-isolate as well if you have none of the common symptoms.
• Remote study policy: Although the vaccination programme and a reduction in COVID-19 cases in Wales offers hope, we know some of you may still have difficulties joining (or re-joining) us after Easter due to the continuing pandemic. As such, we offer those students who wish to continue to study remotely the chance to do so.

Travelling over Easter

• If you have returned to your term time address, the Welsh Government is now asking you to stay in your term time household for the Easter Break. We are awaiting further information on this.
• If you are yet to return, education remains an ‘essential’ reason to travel, and so you can travel ahead of the Spring semester resuming on Monday 19 April.

COVID-19 Student Support Fund

In my last message to you, I explained the different types of financial support now available to you through our student support package. Applications for rent rebates in our accommodation closed on Sunday 14 March, however you can now apply via SIMS for another important part of this package – the COVID-19 Student Support Fund. Please read the guidance before submitting an application, and if you have any questions contact covid19supportfund@cardiff.ac.uk.

Cardiff Pulse – Your feedback shaping your University

As you will know, the period of change caused by COVID-19 has impacted us in many ways, including University life. To make sure you have a high-quality experience and that you feel supported in this new learning environment, we’re launching Cardiff Pulse.

Cardiff Pulse is a monthly invite for you to tell us how things are going, and what we can do to help support you better. We’ll be asking you to provide some feedback from March to July and you will be able to access Cardiff Pulse by checking your University email. The first one was sent on Tuesday 16 March.

Finally, although I am delighted that we are able to restart blended provision for all our students, I am also conscious of the toll this takes on everyone. So, I am pleased to share news of The Science of Happiness course we are piloting to help you improve your mental wellbeing. As we continue to live through the pandemic, please know that we care about you and encourage you to take advantage of this new opportunity.

I’ll write to you again after the Easter recess.

Best wishes

Claire Morgan

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Students