Student Update: Hardship funding, VC retirement and Covid-19 guidelines for those in accommodation

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

I hope you are all safe and well. I am pleased to tell you that the University now has additional hardship funding available for students struggling financially. 

The hardship fund is open to all students, both home and international, and I want to encourage you to apply as soon as possible. More information can be found in this update.  

This update covers: 

• Hardship funding available 
• Announcement from the Vice-Chancellor about plans to retire from role  
• Student support 
• Covid-19 guidelines for those in accommodation 

Hardship funding available  

This year continues to be difficult for everyone, and we recognise that this is a highly unusual time to be a student. The Government has recently awarded the University an additional £214k of funding to support students struggling financially because of Covid-19, and we are distributing this via the hardship fund. 

The funding is available to all students, home and international, experiencing financial hardship. It offers short-term support with a one-off payment that can help you to pay rent or bills, buy food or get IT equipment and Wi-Fi access that you need for your studies.  

Students who wish to benefit from the hardship fund are urged to apply as soon as possible. 

Applications for the Hardship Fund should be made through e:Vision 

• On the homepage, select the Finance button  
• Click on Scholarships and Bursaries 
• Click on the Apply or upload evidence for the Dennis Turner Hardship Fund button. 
• Then choose Assessment based on Financial Hardship from the drop-down list. 

You will be required to provide a brief statement and submit evidence (e.g., bank statement, proof of address and evidence of how you are funding your studies).  

International students should be aware that this money is not public funding and will not affect your visa. Please do not worry that you may get into trouble if you claim these funds. 

 Further information on the funds, including how to make a claim and the evidence required, can be found here: www.wlv.ac.uk/fund  

If you would like advice on how to make an application, please email money@wlv.ac.uk and include your student number in the subject. You can also contact the Student Funding team by calling: 01902 321070. 

For further advice and support with your application, you can contact the Students’ Union’s Advice and Representation Centre (ARC). You may also wish to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) for financial advice and check your eligibility for benefits. 

Find out more

Vice-Chancellor announces plans to retire from role  

We announced this week that the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Geoff Layer, will retire from his role next year. Geoff has been at the University for ten years and will retire at Easter 2022 to give the University time to appoint a successor and ensure a smooth transition.  

During his time at Wolverhampton, Geoff has led the creation of the new £120m Springfield Campus, Europe’s largest university centre of construction excellence; the £9 million Midlands Centre for Cyber Security in Hereford; the creation of advanced engineering facilities at the Telford  Innovation Campus; and the transformation of healthcare facilities across the University’s campuses.   

Geoff said: “It has been a privilege to be Vice-Chancellor of this University, and I am immensely proud of everything we have achieved over the last decade. By placing students at the heart of everything we do and transforming the life chances of our graduates, we have become renowned as the University of Opportunity. We are a university of and for our region, and this is really important in terms of our mission and values. Having launched our new strategic plan, Vision 2030, the timing feels right to step back as the University moves into a new phase.”  

Read the full announcement

Support from your Faculty Student Services  

Studying during this time may challenge you in unexpected ways, especially when balancing your studies with work and home commitments. If you feel stressed or anxious, you can find the support you need at the University.     

Your Faculty Student Services should be the first point of call to access support and advice, and the easiest way to contact them is by the e:Vision Helpdesk.    

Your Faculty Student Services can help you with:  

• Submitting your assignments and getting an extension  
• Accessing student advisers  
• Module registration, enrolment and timetabling  
• Taking a leave of absence  
• Applying for extenuating circumstances  
• Official letters and study transcripts  
• Accessing wellbeing support  

All students can access online mental health and wellbeing support 24/7 through Togetherall – an online community monitored by trained clinicians. If you feel that you need advice or extra support, please check our self-help resources webpage or complete the mental health and wellbeing support registration form.      

Find out more about the student support services available to you here:  www.wlv.ac.uk/support.   

Covid-19 guidelines for those in accommodation 

Whilst Covid-19 restrictions continue to ease in line with the Government’s roadmap, it is essential that everyone continues to play their part in keeping our University and wider community safe by following social distancing guidelines, wearing a face covering and taking part in regular testing.      

If you are living in University accommodation, please remember: 

• Although the Government has eased the rules for indoor socialising, whereby six people or two households can meet, we as a University have had a no visitor policy in accommodation since the first lockdown in March 2020. This rule remains in place, and you should not invite people outside your household into your University accommodation. 
• Face coverings must be worn in all communal areas of your accommodation block; this includes the stairwells and when entering and exiting your household and the building. 
• Everyone must maintain two metres social distancing on-campus both indoors and in outside spaces, including students living in a household bubble. Household bubbles are not permitted on our campuses, meaning that everyone must maintain two metres social distancing, even if you live together. 

For more information, please visit our Safety on Campus and Staying Safe in Halls webpages.  

Stay up to date with the latest information     

Please keep checking your University WLV emails and reading these updates. We are committed to keeping students up to date. We do this by email, on our social media channels (Instagram,  Twitter and Facebook) and the University student news webpage.       

Visit our dedicated Covid-19 webpages for information on how you can stay safe and help protect our University community during the pandemic.       

Thank you, and stay safe.    

Professor Julia Clarke 

Deputy Vice-Chancellor