Coronavirus: Students breaking Covid rules could be disciplined
- Published
Digital learning will be used for most university students this term
University students could face disciplinary action if they break government coronavirus guidelines.
New Scottish government guidance, external says breaches should be subject to "the full weight" of disciplinary procedures.
One university head has warned that could include being "thrown out" of their institution.
Prof Brad MacKay, vice-principal of St Andrews University, said students could be expelled for serious breaches of coronavirus regulations.
He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland the decision to expel a student would depend on the nature of the breach and how serious it was.
He added: "If it's seen as being in breach of the university's disciplinary code then [expulsion] could potentially be a very extreme possibility."
Updated guidance for higher education providers made a number of recommendations, including:
Face coverings on campus wherever physical distancing is not possible
In-person teaching groups generally less than 30
Continuation of blended learning with significantly fewer staff and students on campus
Steps to ensure international students and staff comply with quarantine requirements
It adds that universities, colleges and student accommodation providers were expected to have "robust processes to ensure compliance with Covid-19 rules and requirements."
And it said that breaches would be dealt with though existing misconduct policies and disciplinary procedures.
A walk-in test centre has been set up in St Andrews ahead of the start of the new university term
Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: "While we will keep the guidance under review, we believe this strikes the right balance of allowing young people to get on with their lives in a manner that is as safe as it can be for students, staff and society.
"I have no doubt that students will want to act responsibly and will follow the rules that we are asking them to observe."
Earlier the UK's largest academic union, the University and College Union (UCU), warned students arriving at campuses could pose a major public health risk due to the number of students moving around and entering the UK.
However, the head of the umbrella body for Scottish universities said he was "confident" in the safety measures that have been put in place.
Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, told Good Morning Scotland he was "surprised at the disjunction" between universities and the union.
He said: "We expect students to behave responsibly and if there's a problem we'll want to engage with the student and make sure they understand why what they've done is unsatisfactory and advise what is acceptable behaviour."
However, he warned that students "should be aware that there is the prospect of severe disciplinary sanctions for putting themselves and others at risk."
Commenting on the release of the guidance, Mary Senior, the UCU's Scotland official, criticised the threats to sanction students, saying it is "disappointing to see threats of disciplinaries for staff and for students".
She added: "The rules need to be adhered to, but heavy handed threats should not be meted out to students and staff at a time which is uncertain and worrying for many."