Calls for Southampton university exams to be moved online
Almost 7,000 students have voted for the change over Covid-19 concerns
Almost 7,000 students at the University of Southampton have called for exams later this month to be moved online.
It comes after a petition was submitted to the Southampton University Students' Union (SUSU) asking for the change to be made in light of concerns around Covid-19.
95% of the 7,331 students who voted on the measure were in favour of the University moving exams online.
In a statement, SUSU said it would take the results of the vote to senior management and would be 'lobbying them to act accordingly'.
Curtis Parfitt-Ford, who submitted the initial petition, told us that he was concerned that having students together in the exam hall would allow the virus to spread more quickly:
"There are many students who might be vulnerable themselves, there are many students who might act as carers for family members who might be vulnerable.
"Even assuming that Covid wouldn't injure people or put anybody in direct danger, it would still mean that people would be self-isolating during the exam period.
"They're exams that will make a difference to people's actual grades, so that fact means if someone has to take time out because they're self-isolating, that has a direct detriment to them and potentially to the people around them if they decide they can't self-isolate because of the exam period."
The University of Southampton has been contacted for a response.