UCU leader calls on institutions to close, despite official advice to remain open
Universities have been left “completely unprepared” for the coronavirus pandemic because of their reliance on tuition fees for income and should close now despite official advice to remain open, University and College Union general secretary Jo Grady has said.
Grady called on universities to close and cancel all open days in response to the spread of the coronavirus, despite government advice to keep schools and universities open. On Twitter, Grady claimed an “obsession with income generation” had left universities “too scared” to take action such as closing altogether.
Some universities, including Durham University and the London School of Economics, have announced that all classes will be moving online in a bid to stop the spread of the virus, although they otherwise remain open.
On 13 March, education secretary Gavin Williamson strongly suggested institutions should stay open, as the UK resisted following other European nations in shutting down teaching. He told media at the Association of School and College Leaders that universities can “make their own decisions” but should follow scientific advice. “We shouldn’t be closing educational settings,” he said.
The Office for Students is currently telling universities to stay open and adhere to government advice. Its guidance says: “No higher education provider should close in response to a suspected—or confirmed—Covid-19 case unless advised to do so by Public Health England.”
In contrast, Grady wrote: “Close universities now. Stop open days now. Don’t carry on business as usual until your ‘competitor institution’ acts.”
She went on to say that “the obsession with income generation has left universities completely unprepared to deal with a situation like this”.
A spokesperson for vice-chancellors’ body Universities UK said institutions were “working very closely with the health authorities” to make sure they were taking the right steps.
“The sector is keeping the situation under constant review and individual universities will also be making their own assessments, working in conjunction with public health officials in their area, about issues such as events and other activities on campus. This is a constantly evolving situation and universities are planning for a range of scenarios,” they added.