*This petition has been adapted from similar petitions circling other universities.*
 
The coronavirus outbreak announced to be a pandemic by the World Health Organisation as of the 12th of March 2020, has affected every student at the University of Glasgow. Beginning Monday 16 March, the University announced that all face-to-face teaching ended on our campuses in Glasgow and Dumfries, and that course materials were instead to be placed online. This means that students are missing out on being taught to the usual standard and many have missed out on essential practical workshops for their courses. Now all university buildings have closed, students cannot access library books or other essential learning facilities. Many students mental health will be extremely negatively impacted by the pandemic, many will have to work in unsuitable environments that will not allow them to work to their full potential, and many will be hindered by coronavirus directly affecting them or their loved ones. Thus far, the university has not done enough to support its students, with many being told their assessments will be carried about in the same way despite the lack of proper teaching or support.
 
We are asking the University of Glasgow to introduce a mitigation system similar to the one introduced by the University of Exeter in order to bring fairer results for 2nd/3rd year undergraduates (3rd/4th year in our case) and postgraduate students. At 9.40AM on 25/03/2020, the University of Exeter announced that student assessment would be mitigated through a "safety net" policy. The Deputy Vice Chancellor wrote that:
 
"So long as [students] would qualify to progress/graduate based on [their] marks obtained this year ... then [the university] will ensure that [students'] final academic year average is the same as, or higher than, the average [they] have attained up to Sunday 15th March."
 
"If [students] achieve higher marks in assessments submitted and examinations undertaken after Sunday 15th March then [they] will be able to raise your mark for the year."
In summary, "as long as you qualify to pass the year, completing the summer assessments can only help not hinder you because we will not let the extraordinary circumstances in which you are completing these assessments leave you with a mark below your current overall mark."
 
Considering the exceptional and unexpected circumstances brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic, this type of mitigating system will help to create more equal results for students being assessed at the University. This measure allows students to achieve a grade which reflects their work under ordinary circumstances, whilst providing an incentive to do well in summer assessments and still giving students who did not achieve their desired grades last semester a chance to improve. It also allows those who become ill or lose a loved one to have time to prioritise their wellbeing at this time.
 
This action aligns with other leading Russell Group Universities across the UK; Edinburgh, Southampton and Exeter have already announced their no detriment policies. This is clearly a policy which is acceptable for a leading university, and for high quality degree level courses.
 
Many other students are calling out for changes to be implemented including; University of Leeds, University of Manchester, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, University of Sheffield, University of York, York St John University, Queen's University Belfast, Warwick University, Cardiff University, Sunderland University, and Durham University.