Update of 21 May 2021
Today we have publicly expressed our disagreement with the current decision of the rectorate on the examination procedures of the June and July session.
We have publicly asked that the possibility of taking distance exams be guaranteed for all students who for logistical-organizational and / or health reasons were not in a position to reach the Politecnico di Milano.
We have also publicly asked for fairness to be ensured between the two methods of examination in presence and at a distance without any change in the calendar of exam sessions.
At the same time we presented in the rectorate the letter sent yesterday to the Academic Senate with a request for intervention.
The situation is extremely absurd, we have said it and we are saying it in every possible way. Continue to follow us and fight with us!
Update of 20 May 2021
The rector does not move a comma, we are heartbroken, this situation is beyond absurd. We need everyone's support because WE ARE GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING.
Today we wrote a letter to the Academic Senate in which we ask to overturn the position of the rector, after days of meetings and personal mediations with all the figures who lead our University, in the absence of clear answers, they wrote to the entire Academic Senate a letter to ask for an opinion on the situation of the exams of the June and July session. Here are some steps:
"The line taken is creating great uncertainty in the teaching staff and at the same time our colleagues are in a situation of confusion and tension, which is also leading to reactionary behavior.
We are at 20 May and we are all well aware of the fact that many students are not in a position to face the exam in the offices of our university.
The pandemic situation has led to an intermittent delivery of face-to-face lessons, generating great uncertainty. Taking into account the costs of a rent and that the housing conditions of an off-site student are more critical than in a family context, several students have decided not to move to Milan and so far do not have housing. For these reasons, with so little notice, it is very complex to find an accommodation to face the exams in presence.
Although all the lists are aware that the return in presence is a non-negotiable value, the emergency circumstances and the little advance in communicating the return itself require us to emphasize that the social crisis cannot be solved for all students in such a few days."
Following these considerations, we have mainly brought two requests to the attention of the Academic Senate:
All international students and all off-site students who are not in a position to reach the university may request, through an application to the School Principal, to take the exam at a distance, which request will be accepted and will be communicated to the teacher of the teaching.
All students will be able to request an application directly from the teacher if they are not in a position to reach the university for health problems related to Covid-19. In particular, it is clarified that the aforementioned.
This is how we conclude our letter
"In conclusion, we would like to clarify that we bring this request for a strong sense of responsibility towards the many students who are in these hours in a real difficulty: what we would most regret is to see an Academic Senate that does not perceive and does not listen to the social and economic discomfort that many students are manifesting in these hours, to which the economic measures announced by the Rector do not respond."
While waiting for the Academic Senate to give us an answer, we inform you that tomorrow from 13:30 we will be in front of the rectorate, anyone who wants to participate must urgently fill in the participation link because the event will be contingent
Update of 19 May 2021
EXAMINATION METHODS: the POLIMI BARREL LOADED
📍The Politecnico di Milano has finally deigned to give official communication to the students for the summer session that begins in three weeks, what will be the exam methods for the students and based on what it will be possible to take them remotely.
⏪ Initially we wanted to follow, giving a blow to the circle and one to the barrel, the sentence of the decree in force since April 26, which establishes that "the activities of the Universities are carried out primarily in presence", without prejudice to the autonomy left to the Universities in the decision. It remains very clear that, until that date, the lessons will remain delivered at 50% remotely, as already in the orange zone.
The initial hypothesis was: the exams will take place in person, students in Italy will apply to the teacher while international students will apply to the University to be able to carry out the exam remotely. The University would have invited the teachers to use the necessary reasonableness in accepting the requests.
Following the communication to the teachers, which took place over the weekend, of these modalities, the reactions were extremely unexpected by not demonstrating the necessary reasonableness required and each giving different specific provisions.
In addition, the expectation of the predicted communication to the students has created widespread confusion and even episodic lack of respect on which we at Svoltastudenti in the competent offices have taken and will take very hard positions.
And yes, it would be enough to take a look at the other universities: Federico II, Bicocca, Cattolica, Bocconi, etc. carry out the exams remotely, many others such as Trieste, Turin, Udine, Urbino etc. clearly define that for personal reasons or for off-site the exams can be taken remotely.
This with the awareness that:
🔸More than 1/3 of the students are students from outside the region: finding accommodation or traveling for each exam is a burden in terms of time and costs, especially for students benefiting from DSU scholarships who have not taken accommodation in Milan this year;
🔹It is not possible for the University to ascertain the veracity of any justification for taking the exams at a distance, without mentioning the confidentiality necessary and guaranteed by law when, for example, we are dealing with fragile subjects, positive people, close contacts or precarious economic situations;
CONTINUE IN THE COMMENTS 👇
🔸Thesis students complain of serious difficulties in being followed by many professors, with the pandemic more unattainable than ever. Changing the examination methods now only aggravates this situation;
🔹The international students will not be able to return to the presence: for them the distance mode will still be guaranteed, leading in fact to a double examination mode. Some of these students come from countries from which it is currently illegal to return to Italy, and therefore the Polytechnic cannot do otherwise. We said, a blow to the circle and one to the barrel.
📝 The situation we believe borders on the absurd and has also given rise to a spontaneous petition.
We ask that the distance be guaranteed to those who cannot reach the Polytechnic also for logistical and organizational reasons and to anyone with health problems, we also ask that fairness be guaranteed between the two examination methods in presence and at a distance without any change in the calendar.
The only thing that has been answered to us is a loan to financial support for all those who will come from afar to face the exams in presence. For this reason today we will send a formal letter to the Academic Senate to ask to re-evaluate the Rector's decision and we will keep you updated.
And yes, the University has wanted to choose Equity as a value, together with, for example, Integrity, Respect, Trust and Transparency. Perhaps in the Rectorate these words have a different interpretation from the common one, at least among the students.
