COVID-19 FAQs
As a result of the on-going COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak in Northern Ireland, the University has implemented a range of measures to reduce the risk of spread within Queen’s. The most recently introduced measures for Student Voice are summarised below.
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How is the Union representing me on the ongoing issues related to Coronavirus?
We are actively involved in planning and delivering Queen’s University’s response to Coronavirus, including assessment, teaching and student support.
Our Student Officers are members of many of the key University working groups planning and responding to all these issues.
Our Student Officers talk daily with Senior Staff of the University in order to represent students’ wants and needs, and ensure the actions taken are in the best interests of students.
If you have any specific queries that you want us to bring forward, please let us know.
- How do I access support from the Student Voice Team?
Due to restrictions on physical capacity in the SU Building, and social distancing requirements, we are not able to support physical “drop-ins” at this time.
You can arrange an appointment for an online or “in-person” meeting with Student Voice.
We will also arrange online “open drop-ins” during busy periods for people to ask quick questions.
You can also continue to access support during normal working hours by emailing studentvoice@qub.ac.uk.
Staff may not have regular access to phones. Email is the preferred way to contact.
- Will Executive Management Committee meetings take place?
Meetings of the Executive Management Committee (i.e. the Full-Time and Part-Time Student Officer team) will continue to take place online until social distancing requirements are relaxed.
Your Student Officers are all still available and working to represent your interests.
- How do I bring forward any campaign ideas that I have?
You can do this by contacting the Student Voice Team by email or by contacting your Student Officer Campaigns and Engagement.
- Will Student Rep elections take place?
We will be opening nominations online, as usual.
Full info will be available on the Students’ Union website and social media pages.
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Will Student Council Meetings take place going forward?
Student Council meetings will still take place however due to social distancing requirements, the meetings will take place online.
- As a Student Rep, how can I carry out my role of representing students effectively at this time?
In these rapidly changing times, Student Reps play a vital role in ensuring that we all navigate our way through these unique challenges.
As staff and students, these changes have an impact on our personal, professional and academic lives and we are all continuing to adapt.
You can play your role by:
- Asking your lecturer or module / course / programme convenor / director (as appropriate) about teaching/assessment arrangements and getting clarity from them. Ask them to email all relevant students with the details.
- Communicating with the students who you represent – through email, social media, or Canvas, to let them know you are there and that they can contact you if they have any academic issues.
- Bringing the queries and concerns of students to the relevant staff in your School. (Tell Student Voice and your Student Officers too – we want to know what the issues are!)
- Being aware of some of the basic University support services, such as Student Wellbeing Service and Advice SU. If students contact you with wellbeing / personal issues, you can redirect them to these services. As a Student Rep, it is not your role to resolve personal issues that students may be experiencing.
If you find that issues are not being resolved by your School, let us know! Your Student Officers and Student Voice team are here to help.
- As a Student Rep, lots of students are approaching me with questions, queries and worries - what should I do?
We understand that this still a time of uncertainty for everyone, and especially for you, our Student Reps, who will most likely be receiving lots of queries and questions from students at this time.
You aren’t expected to have all the answers during this difficult and rapidly changing time.
Queen’s has created a dedicated FAQ’s page and a call centre (028 9244 3498) to try and answer and address any questions or concerns of students.
Please do use the above webpage and call centre to direct students on to and encourage them to review the FAQs regularly for continual updates.
Your School may also have produced their own FAQs and guidance which you can use to signpost students.
- A student that I represent has asked me to meet up with them to talk through their issues, should I?
In line with Public Health Agency advice, contact going forward should be via email or other similar form of digital communication if you cannot ensure that the meeting can take place while maintaining social distancing.
As mentioned, if their issues are relating to the Coronavirus, you can also direct them to the dedicated FAQ’s page and a call centre (028 9244 3498).
- Students are approaching me with the same types of questions/comments and feedback. How do I escalate these key themes?
Contact the appropriate member of staff in your School and try to bring this forward.
If you find that issues are not being resolved by your School, let us know! Your Student Officers and Student Voice team are here to help.
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Will SSCC meetings take place going forward?
It is expected that SSCC meetings will take place as normal during 2020-21. It is likely that many Schools will hold the meetings online due to social distancing restrictions.
If your School is not holding SSCC meetings, let us know immediately!
- Will the Students’ Union continue to hold weekly Course Rep Forums during 2020-21?
We intend to continue to hold weekly online Academic Rep Forums which will be open to all Academic Reps. These weekly meetings will be used to discuss academic issues that students are experiencing and also to update Academic Reps on work the Union is doing to represent students’ academic interests.
- My mental health is being impacted, what can I do?
Please look after yourselves at this time and especially whatever you can do to protect your mental and physical health.
The Student Wellbeing Service and Minding Your Head websites have useful resource and contacts.