LSBSU President - Nelly Kibirige

‪London South Bank University students’ union are recruiting for external trustees and would love to have you on board!

If you’re interested, please apply below: ‬

‪https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/view/701548?tsId=8‬

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Very proud of officers at Greenwich Students' Union for initiating this national campaign calling for the waiver of fees for healthcare students who have selflessly given their all for the nation’s safety amidst the COVID-19 crisis

Massive well done to Jono Smith, Henry Setter, Mayo, Bilal, and all Greenwich current officers and officer elects for taking the lead on this, and involving as many of us as possible in co-signing the open letter👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Happy to have been a very small part of this🙏🏾

UCAS and StandAlone UK have put together a guide for estranged students to help those applying to university with writing their personal statements!

🔊🔊Last week I managed to achieve my long time objective of getting LSBU to officially recognise estranged students and sign the pledge, so this guide couldn’t have come at a better time for those wishing to apply for courses at LSBU.

📣A support package will be in place to support estranged stunners as well other identified student groups to ensure successful progression, retention and completion of their studies from application to graduation👏🏾

📣Moreover, halls have today also agreed a 52 week accommodation program for estranged students if they need it💪🏾

best wishes in all areas of your life 💙

Estranged students: Your personal statement A guide to help estranged students write their personal statement.

THANK YOU!!
MANY THANKS TO THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN PATIENT WHILE WE GOT HERE

Following my update yesterday on the Rent Waiver and today’s Gold Command meeting, below is new update for students in halls.
You will have yesterday’s decision already and this is a follow on..

Nelly Kibirige Nelly Kibirige

Thought it’d useful to copy/share below the email from Universities Minister Michelle Donelan as forwarded from the university this afternoon:

Please read details below:

Begin copy, word for word version;
🔊⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️🔊

As Universities Minister, I wanted to write to students in higher education to explain the latest developments in the battle against COVID-19.


I want to reassure you that we are doing all we can to keep you safe and to mitigate the worst effects of the virus on you and your education. The Government is working closely with the HE sector on a wide range of issues, and student wellbeing is at the heart of those discussions.

Students in residence halls in England

While many students will already have travelled home, I know that those of you who have not, or cannot, will be concerned about what you should do now.

The Government’s advice is that students remaining at university in England should now stay where they are and not attempt to travel. If you are living in student halls, or private rented accommodation, you should remain there and stay indoors while current restrictions are in force. As the Prime Minister said, staying put and remaining indoors is a crucial step now to slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed, and save the lives of fellow citizens. The government published advice on staying at home here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others



Should you or any of your friends fall ill while in your student residence, there is guidance on self-isolating here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings



I have been discussing with HE providers the additional support that they can give to students. That includes continuing to provide accommodation for those who cannot travel home or have no alternative residence. Providers will also offer a range of other support services to students, including catering and cleaning, and also student health and welfare. We know that providers are bolstering their existing mental health services, and adapting delivery to means other than face-to-face, and these services are likely to be an important source of support for you during this period of isolation. My department is also talking with HE providers to consider how we can offer additional mental health support.



Finals

I am very aware that many of you will be worried about what this means for final exams.

The Office for Students will produce guidance shortly on practical you can complete your studies whilst ensuring quality and standards are maintained. This will cover teaching, continued learning and assessment during this difficult time.

It is important that providers support you and enable you to leave with qualifications that have real value and that reflects your hard work and allow you to progress. I can assure you that we are working closely with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) to ensure this happens.

Visas

On Tuesday 24 March, the Home Office updated their visa guidance to provide greater certainty for international higher education students and staff in the UK currently unable to return home due to COVID-19. This covers three main issues: visa extensions, in-country visa switching and distance learning.



Visa extensions

No individual who is in the UK legally, but whose visa is due to expire, or has already expired, and who cannot leave because of travel restrictions related to COVID-19, will be regarded as an overstayer, or suffer any detriment in the future.

Anyone whose leave expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation will have their visas extended to 31 May 2020. Individuals must contact the Coronavirus Immigration Team email to advise of their situation – please see contact details further down.



In-country visa switching

Individuals (students or staff) who cannot leave the UK due to travel restrictions or self-isolation and wish to stay in the UK in the long-term would ordinarily need to apply for a visa from their home country. Where individuals would normally be required to return to their country of residence to apply for a visa in a different category, they’ll now be able to apply from the UK to switch.



Distance learning

Tier 4 students are not normally permitted to undertake distance learning courses. However, due to the current exceptional circumstances, the Home Office will not consider it a breach of sponsor duties to offer distance learning to existing Tier 4 students in the UK or who have chosen to return overseas but wish to continue their current studies. Sponsors do not need to withdraw sponsorship in these circumstances.



New international students who have been issued a Tier 4 visa but have been unable to travel to the UK are permitted to undertake distance learning and sponsorship does not need to be withdrawn.



New international students who have not yet applied for a visa but wish to commence a course by distance learning do not need to travel to the UK to do so and therefore do not require sponsorship under Tier 4.



Further information from the Home Office

Full details covering the above visa issues above can be found at the following link: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents



The Home Office’s Coronavirus Immigration Helpline remains open: 0800 678 1767 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm – calls are free of charge if made from within the UK). The Home Office asks that customers check gov.uk first as that is the central source of information, but if individuals remain concerned about their immigration status they can contact: [email protected].



Call for Volunteers

Universities are in the front line in the immediate challenge of the COVID-19 virus. There are many ways that universities will be able to contribute to the fight against the virus, including making their facilities and expertise available.



You may already know people with medical or healthcare knowledge who are involved in fighting COVID-19 and there will be opportunities for more people to do so. The Health Minister this week launched a call for volunteers to support vulnerable people to stay safe and well at home.



If you would like to get involved, you can sign up as a NHS volunteer here: https://www.goodsamapp.org/NHS



Finances

I would like to assure you that the Student Loans Company (SLC) is planning to make Term 3 tuition fee payments as scheduled and that you will continue to receive maintenance payments on the scheduled dates, whether or not campuses are closed or learning has moved online. We expect that providers will communicate clearly with residential students on rents for this period and administer accommodation provision in a fair manner.



I am also aware that some students are facing financial difficulties as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak. The Government is working closely with the HE sector on a wide range of issues, and student wellbeing is at the heart of those discussions. It will be a matter for universities themselves to deal with individual students’ situations. We understand that most universities maintain hardship funds, which can be deployed where necessary. You should also be aware that if you are on a PAYE contract (e.g. part time student work), you may still get 80% of normal income. The guidance is here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses



I hope that you find this helpful and informative. We will continue to work with the sector and with student representatives (Student Unions and the NUS). If you think that there is more that we can do, please contact the department.



Michelle Donelan MP

Minister of State for Universities

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Urgent Update: Campus closure following government announcement

To: All students

Dear Student

You will probably have seen the announcement from the Prime Minister this evening (Monday 23 March), requiring the immediate closure of all libraries, and dramatically restricting travel and physical proximity.

This unfortunately means that we are closing the campus with immediate effect rather than on Wednesday, as we had previously planned and communicated with you earlier today. Please note that the student residences will stay open.

We know that there are a range of student services that are really important to you, so we will be assessing the government’s measures to see how we can best continue to provide these to you. Thank you for your support in what we know is a worrying time for you.

Although the situation is serious, the new measures should help us cope with this crisis, so please be reassured that we’ll continue to provide support for you. Do keep in touch with each other through social media and other non-contact methods, and keep an eye on the news.

The teaching will continue to take place via remote learning, and we’ll update you with further information during the week. Please do regularly check your emails.

Please follow the guidance and take care.

Pat Bailey (Provost)/ Nelly Kibirige (SU President)

Update 16:48

The deputy director of estates reiterates the head of accommodation’s confirmation in a response to my email enquiry regarding halls students’ belongings:

✅ “I’ve spoken to Lesley who has been in direct contact with Nellie. This is a misunderstanding which has emerged from an FAQ that we produced. We are addressing the wording to resolve this. We will be safely storing personal effects until students can collect them”✅

An email should’ve gone out to with regards to this. End update 17:04

I have now received the pdf update that was sent out to Halls residents with regards to the safety of your belongings in halls:

I have just been on the phone to head of accommodation and

I can assure that she’s confirmed to me that they will keep everybody’s stuff secure and they’re sending an email out now to clarify this misunderstanding.

Anya your residential life coordinator, is also running a blog which several of you have already engaged with and I’ll share the link to that shortly in this post.

Kind regards,
Nelly

Given the current situation, a few presidents from London students’ unions have come together to send out this message:

Message from London Presidents:

This is our message of solidarity from London Presidents to reassure our students that we are here for you and with you throughout this very difficult, unprecedented time!

Please feel free to reach out to any one of us with any concerns or questions, or simply a kind voice on the other end of the line
Whatsapp calls/Facebook calls, emails, or inbox messages accepted

Please continue to check the NHS and Public Health England websites for daily updates, as well your own institutions’ daily communications; moodle, emails, intranet etc

Many officers have offered support with homeschooling, collecting prescriptions, or groceries, so please reach out to those who have indicated on their profiles

• As Presidents we will, continue to update you with information from our institutions and our unions as it becomes available

• We will continue to lobby for your safety and the safety of our communities

• We will continue to put you and your needs at the centre of all communications with our institutions and chief executives

• We stand by our international students, estranged students, students living in halls of residences, those with support needs, commuter students, and all of the students we represent

✅We thank you all for the courage you’ve shown through this difficult time and we stand in solidarity with you all, our staff members and the response services teams for their endeavours!

💎Let’s all fight this pandemic together by remaining kind, looking out for one another, so we can collectively combat the further spreading of this virus, because; UNITED we stand, DIVIDED we fall

In love and solidarity, your London SU Presidents

* Nelly Kibirige - ([email protected]) London South Bank SU

* Diini Muse - ([email protected])
London Met SU Diini Muse

* Mohammed Ismail ([email protected]) UEL SU

* Henry Setter - ([email protected]) Greenwich SU Henry Setter

* Talhah Atcha - ([email protected])
Queen Mary University of London SU

Kind regards,

As a two term President at the first University Group to incorporate colleges and academies in the country, I know all too well the importance of maintaining good working relationships with key individuals including Education Secretary Gavin Williamson CBE MP.

📣 This was my second time meeting him, so I couldn’t resist a pic as last time I was a speaker and was busy anxiously rehearsing my speech😩😄🤷🏾‍♀️ lol

✊🏾💓 I am thankful to be in a position where I can and have, positively represented and impacted the lives of 18000 London South Bank University students, as well as supported and encouraged the representation of 18000+ Lambeth College students and several thousands of South Bank Academies, UAE and UTC students!

✅ This week Lambeth College signed up to the Association of Colleges’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter, and I couldn’t be prouder if I tried ☺️

WONKHE have just published an article I’ve co-written with Isobel Hall on student loans

You may remember me pushing a petition to government and SFE last year to change the rules on student funding including recognising that parents’ income does not always count towards students’ awards as our union identified that several students actually had to hand over their student loan payments to their parents.
The article showcases the need for a change in policy.

Thank you so much for Isobel Hall for your dedication towards this cause and thanks to the several officers who signed our letter to Paul Blomfield MP 🤎

Students need reform to maintenance funding now | Wonkhe Tuition fees and regulated debt continues to dominate the debate over undergraduate study - but tow SU Presidents think it's day to day finance that matters more