‘It is very concerning that this change is going to worsen the situation further’ | How will new extension policies affect student mental health?
By Kyia Small, Third Year, English and Spanish
At the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year, all students received an email detailing the university’s changes to its deadline policies.
The changes detailed in this correspondence included: the mandatory provision of evidence for extension requests, less time to submit them and a reduced criterion for such appeals.
To gain a better understanding of the university’s policy amendments and to clarify what these changes mean, Epigram spoke to Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, Professor Tansy Jessop, and her colleague Mark Allinson.
For coursework extensions, students who have always been able to upload evidence of their difficulties will not face any restrictions. However, any unsupported requests made for what Jessop calls ‘acute medical episodes with a minimal impact’ or ‘preventable circumstances such as personal computer problems’ will no longer be considered.
Despite this, Allinson emphasised that there is room for negotiation where students can explain how their studies have been negatively impacted or their ability to work has been affected.
During the pandemic, the university implemented various exceptions to reflect an exceptional time. Since COVID-19 restrictions are no longer in place, the university has replaced ‘extenuating circumstances’ with ‘exceptional circumstances’. Failure to complete an assessment, poor academic performance and missed deadlines for coursework will now require hard evidence, which students can read more about here.
Both Allinson and Jessop acknowledge that there was some relaxation of coursework extension approvals during the COVID-19 lockdowns, but extenuating circumstances were not intended to be a way of delaying deadlines. Instead, this temporary measure was put in place to inform exam boards about issues that may have impacted performance only after that assessment had taken place.
The problem is that students have been using the extension form as a cry for help, as Allinson observes: ‘Many [students] were trying to tell us about issues that may easily be resolved with wellbeing support or study skills sessions, not extended assessment periods.’
'Allinson notes that roughly a quarter of his group of 40 final-year students needed an extension this year'
What the new regulations aim to do is prevent rather than prolong problems, which students could flag and manage accordingly before it is too late.
Ultimately, the university is encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning by redirecting them to resources that can be used before drastic measures are needed. However, some students are worried that tightening restrictions could adversely affect certain demographics. Whilst Allinson calls mental health a ‘scale,’ one final-year English student describes it as an ‘Umbrella term encapsulating various conditions that are not always easily diagnosed.’
After The University of Bristol was ranked 68 out of 80 UK Universities on a Mental Health Support League Table in 2022, staff have exercised increased vigilance and pastoral care. However, the student previously mentioned describes these efforts as ‘More like a PR stunt than an actual investment into student wellbeing.’ Allinson notes that roughly a quarter of his group of 40 final-year students needed an extension this year, but the new policies have undermined these figures.
'there have never been so many anxious students in one term and it is very concerning that this change is going to worsen the situation further'
Regardless of whether many or few students are applying for exceptional circumstances, one lecturer, who wished to remain anonymous, believes the new policy is missing the mark.
Speaking to Epigram, they warned that ‘[students’] mental health is already very strained; there have never been so many anxious students in one term and it is very concerning that this change is going to worsen the situation further.’
Addressing the demand, rather than the cause of rising extension requests, arguably runs the risk of leaving students feeling helpless, abandoned and less likely to access them.
Many details about the support options that students are being redirected to can be found on the now-updated site, but there are still questions concerning their visibility.
One French and Spanish student highlighted that, in her view, changes to university policies are always vague and poorly communicated: ‘I get extensions and have got better at planning, but before third year it was very tricky and I am not sure whether my disability will still grant me a maximum of three weeks.’
'recent changes aim to "not only help tutors with marking and delivering feedback sooner but also offer their classes more opportunities to manage workload properly"'
Allinson explains that the team has tried to be as transparent as possible, but cannot help students who are unwilling to help themselves by not reading emails carefully and keeping staff informed about their progress and struggles.
The changes to regulations have come as part of a university-wide initiative which aims to diversify assessment strategy across schools so that there are fewer overlaps in deadlines and content during exam seasons. ‘We want staff to teach in a way that enables students to thrive and flourish in a slightly bigger university with a more varied cohort’, explains Jessop.
Depending on the severity of a physical or mental health condition, she suggests that it may be more productive to contact the university’s disability services, where students may be offered a study support plan with alternative exam arrangements and additional resources.
Although The University of Bristol tries to give its student body the support needed to succeed, Allinson explains how the recent changes aim to ‘not only help tutors with marking and delivering feedback sooner but also offer their classes more opportunities to manage workload properly.’
Arguably, the system that was put in place to help vulnerable students has been increasingly exploited by those who do not necessarily need it. The pastoral care team are sympathetic to the growing demand for part-time jobs and other commitments but is now required to draw a line.
Another English student points out that ‘It is perhaps a controversial opinion, but to some extent, the new regulations are good because knowing that an extension is always available only leaves people more stressed and behind on work.’
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The decision to clamp down on extensions may bring forth positive outcomes, but it requires careful review and cooperation. Whilst some believe that the new policy is simply paper over the cracks of a prevalent and complex mental health crisis, others are suggesting that the changes will be pivotal in improving the student experience.
Featured Image: Epigram / Dan Hutton
How have changes to the extensions policy affected you?