Page 5 - Easter Term News Today

A peek into the Tab's hidden workings during the last 12 months

The Covid infection rate in Durham is currently the highest in the country CONCERNS have been raised after shocking figures revealed the rise in infection rates in part of the North-East was significantly higher than the rest of the county. The Covid case rates in Durham suggest one in 50 people in the city centre has tested positive in the last week. Civic leaders suggest it could be a result of the densely populated student areas, and there are fears the rapidly transmissible Delta vari...

Livers-in will not be allowed to consume alcohol during any formals that take place before lockdown restrictions are eased on May 17th, according to plans detailed on the University website. Participants in formals will be required to provide evidence that they have taken a Lateral Flow test (LFT) no more than 24 hours in advance of the formal taking place, as well as testing at least twice weekly, with the second test taking place 3-4 days apart from the first. The plans state that as of April...

A Palatinate investigation has revealed accusations of sustained malpractice and abuses of power within the Durham Union Society (DUS), including bullying, unaddressed bigotry, and the mishandling of complaints. The Union Society has been described by some members as a ‘zero-sum political game’, afflicted by systemic failings, cronyism, and negligence in holding wrongdoers to account.  The Union Society is the largest and oldest student society at Durham, and holds regular debates and add...

The Bill Bryson Library will be open for 22 hours a day, seven days a week from the start of Easter Term, Durham University today confirmed. The library, colloquially known as the ‘Billy B’, is currently only open on weekdays from 9am to 8pm and weekends from 1pm to 5:30pm, having had its opening times extended to from 9am-8pm on weekdays on Saturday 6th March. A Covid-19 update email sent today to all students and staff also stated that the new opening times will continue until the end of ...

Durham University is considering erecting a performance event venue at the Racecourse site for three weeks in June. The venue, which would open on June 5th until 25th June, would provide a space for live performances and events to be held in a Covid-secure environment. The space is still in its proposal stages, and is required to be formally signed off by Durham County Council. According to the proposals, food trucks would be able to park on the Racecourse site, and a bar would be open to atten...

Durham University has today called upon the Government to “provide clarity on plans for the safe resumption of Covid-secure face-to-face teaching” in Easter Term. The statement follows the Prime Minister’s coronavirus press conference on Monday 5th April, during which the planned liberalisation of Covid-19 restrictions was confirmed for Monday 12th April. In Durham’s statement, Vice-Chancellor and Warden, Professor Stuart Corbridge, said that the University’s “current working assump...

The handling of the Covid-19 pandemic has been, at best, unclear. Government policy has been widely considered ambiguous, which has trickled down into university guidance. Durham University has fallen into the same trap as the government, giving out unclear instructions and uneven punishments to students. Torn between wanting to make the most of their university experience or following the government rules to “Stay at Home”, students have been treated both without empathy and without clear...

Complaints students are returning to Durham City and breaching coronavirus rules Durham Parish Council says there have been numerous complaints about students being back in the city Get the latest County Durham news and updates delivered straight to your inbox - sign up for free email updatesInvalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations fo...

Calls for extra police patrols following amidst complaints of students flouting coronavirus rules POLICE have been urged to carry out increased patrols in Durham following complaints that some returning students are flouting coronavirus rules. The City of Durham Parish Council said it had received several of complaints over the numbers of students returning to the city, the lack of social distancing and groups gathering. Durham University has told students not to return to the city after...