A large number of York students are stuck abroad due to the massive disruptions in air traffic caused by erupting volcano Eyjafjallajökul.
Some of the students have now come together and started the Facebook group “YORK UK students stuck Outside”, with hopes of bringing the issue to the attention of the University. The group currently boasts over 200 members.
The people behind the initiative are using it as a means of tallying up the number of students who are currently abroad and potentially unable to get back to the York in time for the start of term.
Their aim is to lobby the university to delay or even cancel exams scheduled early in the approaching term. This comes after news that Cambridge University has cancelled exams as a number of students and lecturers are still trapped overseas.
“Being an international student and living so far away from the UK got me really paranoid after I heard about the volcanic eruption. My international friends got in touch and we discussed the problem. So one of my friend just made the group out of the blue and in not even a days’ time the group had 200 members,” says first year Economics and Finance student and founding members Gayatri Joshi.
“We all felt so good to find that we weren’t alone anymore. In the group we are all discussing where we all are stuck, solutions to some problems and how to stay in touch with everyone.”
“Our aim is just that the University should understand the problem as it’s really not easy for many of us to just take a ferry or train or coach to the UK. Fortunately, we got noticed by the University.”
The Universities sent out a mass email this afternoon, outlining their plan of action. They aim to follow ‘mitigation procedures’, stating that affected students “keep a copy of the travel advice you have followed and/or your travel documents to support your submission for mitigation. Your request for mitigation should be given to your supervisor for forwarding to the Chair of your departmental Board of Studies.”
Students are also being asked to submit the any requests at least 24 hours prior to the exam, even if they do not have all of the relevant travel documents.
Furthermore, they stress that the University is open and running as normal and that they “expect students to make every reasonable effort to return to University by the start of term on 26th April 2010”.
Democracy and Services officer Lewis Bretts has released a statement on behalf of YUSU, echoing the University sentiments. “We are currently working with the University to ensure that any impact on assessment is mitigated, and we will have more information available soon.”
YUSU have also set up a mailing list, [email protected], where all new information will be posted.