Covid student chaos: paying £ 30k a year and asking for food safety

One student has told the BBC that international students are being forgotten by the Covid crisis affecting Scottish universities.

Reese Chamberlain, who studies at the University of Edinburgh, says foreign students who isolate themselves are forced to call security for food.

He said calls and emails to the welfare of students go unanswered.

The university said it was supporting all students who were isolating themselves.

The 18-year-old international relations student from New York says he is preparing to pack up and fly home as soon as his period of self-isolation is over.

Reese chose the University of Edinburgh because it offered him everything he was looking for.

He said: “I chose Edinburgh because it seemed to be a very diverse university with students from 195 countries. With the historic city and campus it was something you wouldn’t find in the United States.

“I expected to have a completely different way of life in different environments and new people.”

“My experience arriving in Edinburgh was excellent. People were friendly. I had to isolate myself for 14 days [when I arrived in Scotland] but I knew that would be the case.

“The three days of freedom I had were incredible. I got into the Arthur’s Seat and it was fantastic.”

When he chose to travel to the UK during a pandemic, Reese knew there would be no parties or conferences in large halls, but he was happy to make the best of what he had. What he wasn’t prepared for was isolation, food shortages, and breaking the rules he was trying to follow.

When the situation worsened last week, he saw most of the UK students around him evacuate the hallways and head home.

He told the BBC that he has now been left trying to comfort other students who have found themselves away from home and “feeling abandoned.”

He said: “I have had international students who have burst into tears because of the lack of support. The only way I have been able to get food is by calling the emergency security number and it is very uncomfortable to do so.”

Your accommodation in Pollock is staffed by a cafeteria and has no self-catering facilities. Because he isolates himself in his room, he relies on the university to deliver food. But sometimes nothing arrives until after lunchtime and I still hadn’t eaten anything by Tuesday at 4:00 PM.

As an international student, Reese pays £ 21,000 in tuition fees and £ 9,000 for accommodation per year to attend the University of Edinburgh. He believes that students from abroad pay the most and receive the least help.

Scotland has a higher proportion of international students than any other UK nation at 22%, with over 50,000 choosing to study here.

He said: “It seems that there is a minimum of effort for us, because they think that we will not notice.”

Reese’s mother, Janie Chamberlain, has had to watch her son go through this from 3,000 miles away via Facetime. She is disappointed in the university after the promises she made on her website.

Speaking from New York, she told the BBC: “It was difficult to send it there, but I felt incredibly calm – if you look at the university’s website and the details of Covid’s response, it is comforting.”

“They talk about mental health checks and a point of contact, so we felt it would be well taken care of and they were prepared.”

But Ms. Chamberlain says she was “stunned” by reality.

“We are surprised that none of those things are there,” he said. “The university is not very prepared, their plan is good on paper. I’m sure they had high hopes of not having to execute that plan, but they really weren’t prepared.”

“These students need help. Reese is resourceful, but other international students may not be the same.”

Ms. Chamberlain has asked the university to “be creative,” admit there was a lack of preparation, and “don’t make students feel bad for speaking up and advocating.”

She added, “We know what they’ve been doing isn’t working. As a parent, I don’t want something terrible to happen to one of these students who might be less able to cope. There are students who don’t have a mom to call.”

In her briefing on the coronavirus on Tuesday, Nicola Sturgeon again called on universities to step up their wellness responsibilities.

He said there is “no excuse” for universities not to ensure the well-being of students who isolate themselves in residences and must ensure that students receive adequate food, following reports that they have been provided expired food .

A Twitter account calling itself a “Pollock prisoner” posted photos of expired food provided to isolated students.

Speaking of Pollock Halls in Edinburgh, the Prime Minister said: “The responsibility of universities to ensure the well-being of students who find themselves in a situation of self-isolation is paramount and there is no excuse for universities not to do it correctly and not get it right. “

A spokesperson for the University of Edinburgh said: “University staff are working hard to provide care and support, including mental health support, to all students who must be isolated by the Scottish government.”

“The catering staff will provide three meals a day for all students living in University-provided accommodation. These meals are available in vegan and gluten-free options to ensure that all dietary requirements are met.”