Students at a British university now can get extensions for essays and exams due to “racial trauma” … and the school will have to take their word for it.
According to Sky News, Goldsmiths University has agreed to a proposal from its Students’ Union which adds “racial trauma” to the list of “extenuating circumstances” for such deferrals.
Goldsmith Students’ Union President Sara Bafo tweeted on Wednesday that essay/exam postponements are accomplished via student “self-certification” — a move away, she says, from “providing so called evidence.” (The university will “assess” students’ requests, however.)
Bafo added that “institutional/systemic racism […] clearly impacts” minority students’ ability to complete essays and exams.
The university has agreed to our proposal to incorporate ‘racial trauma’ as a reason to defer essays and exams for Black and PoC students, it will be done through self-certification (moving away from providing so called evidence). 💥💥
— Sara Bafo (@SaraSabriye) June 16, 2021
Around 48 percent of Goldsmiths student population is minority, according to a diversity and inclusion report from last year. This is approximately 25 percent higher than the UK university average.
The Uni has agreed to our Sabbs' proposal to include 'racial trauma' as a reason to defer essays for Black & PoC students through self-certification, not an evidence based approach. This is great news and a step in the right direction. Well done to those involved in discussions! pic.twitter.com/rGvvfGJX7R
— Goldsmiths SU (@GoldsmithsSU) June 17, 2021
Other categories in Goldsmiths’ deferral policy include medical conditions, trauma, bereavement, court attendance, and caring responsibilities.
Professor Frances Corner, warden of Goldsmiths, University of London, said: “This change relates to our extenuating circumstances policy which enables students to ask us to take into account serious life events when assessing their progress with their studies.
“Self-certification for this kind of support is common at universities and students are entitled to proper support when the need arises.
“A student must submit a detailed statement which is carefully considered by academic departments who then decide an appropriate response.”
The Express reports Michaela Community School founder Katharine Birbalsingh slammed Goldsmiths’ decision: “It’s just this weird category that has come out now called racial trauma because then you think what does that mean exactly?
“I’d love to have a definition of that, what it means and who it applies to. Can anyone suffer from racial trauma or are there only certain races that can do so?”
Read the Sky News and Express articles.
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