University Council, Trinity’s ruling body on academic affairs, yesterday approved a memo that requested “additional contingency periods” for College exams up until Saturday May 16, according to a media statement from Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU).
TCDSU’s statement highlighted that this memo was passed “before the news today regards closure and we are still awaiting inevitable changes to be made”.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced earlier today that colleges and schools will close from tomorrow in response to the coronavirus in a statement to the media in Washington DC.
TCDSU have stated that College Health and Counselling will be functioning through phone calls only.
The statement from TCDSU also reiterates that lectures will continue to be delivered in an online format and that the libraries will close.
“We regret that the library will not be open to students during this time, but we are liaising with the library and will have information outlining the services they will offer students online later today,” the statement reads.
“We have been working closely with the college and bringing any concerns that students have voiced on any relevant committees. The President sits on both the Coronavirus Working Group and an ad hoc group overseeing Accommodation during this time and will be using these groups to communicate student concerns. Where possible updates will be made via social media during this time.”
The first case of coronavirus within Trinity was confirmed on March 5 and has since recovered. The second case, a Health Sciences student, was confirmed last night.
So far, there have been 42 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland, with a further 18 confirmed cases in Northern Ireland. Yesterday, the first death due to the coronavirus in Ireland was announced.
