This petition is created to postpone all Anglia Ruskin University April 2020 deadlines, incuding dissertations, due to the current ongoing university strikes, closures, and global coronavirus pandemic. 

We urge the university to take into consideration the amount of contact hours students have lost and will continue to loose due to university closures. As repeatedly outlined by universities in the past, university attendance can have a significant effect on student grades. We fully support the university closures, nonetheless, it severely affects students as it makes communication with lecturers and dissertation supervisors difficult and sporadic. Online feedback tends to lose genuine understanding and communication along with rich in-depth commentary. Additionally, it forces all students to do online learning, which is not suitable to many student's learning style.

The present COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted upcoming assessments. For example, certain modules for third year students, such as Preparing for Work, have included in person workshops and programmes to participate in towards the module assessment. These have now been cancelled and cannot be done. 

We urge Anglia Ruskin University to consider academic deadlines alongside the current decision to make lectures and seminars online only. The severe health concerns should be considered, such as the implications of attedning univerisity libraries (now advised against by government) and thus impacting student learning and productivity. Recommended governemtn self-isolation limits contact with tutors, supervisors and lecturers - having a negative impact on coursework and dissertation grades. 

We would also like Anglia Ruskin University to consider the impending close of schools. Many students are parents, which will have a severe impact on them due to divided attention from children. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has been repsonsible for increased levels of anxiety, amongst other mental health issues experienced by student. This is particuarly among students who are already in stressful circumstances trying to complete dissertations and additional deadlines ofr their final year. 

We end this petition with the request that in light of this situation, module assessment, and disseratation, deadlines be extended by at least two weeks from the orginal date. 

Thank you for reading.