Cardiff University lecturer Dr Helen McCarthy axed from committee

Cardiff University has apologised for the lecturer's comments

A lecturer who called students "idiots" on a Zoom call with colleagues has lost her role as chair of a committee at Cardiff University.

Biosciences lecturer Dr Helen McCarthy had commented to colleagues during a break from a Zoom lecture, which was inadvertently recorded and then shared.

Dr McCarthy, who remains a lecturer, was asked to stand down in order to retain "student confidence".

She criticised students' worries over a "safety net" removed for assessments.

In a statement, a Cardiff University said: "In light of the incident, Dr McCarthy was asked to stand down by the Head of School as Chair of the School's undergraduate Extenuating Circumstances Committee, as we recognise the importance of retaining student confidence in that procedure.

"Dr McCarthy is no longer involved in extenuating circumstances considerations."

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In the video, which was recorded by the university and shared on an internal college portal, Dr McCarthy said students had tried to post links to a petition during one of her lectures, calling for more measures to support student assessments during the pandemic.

"This is what happens you give them a safety net and all of a sudden you take that away and they're like, 'Oh my God'," said the lecturer.

The removal of the "safety net" shortens holding exams over 24 hours to four hours.

She said she had instructed students not to reply to the petition, adding it was "ridiculous".

Students had "graduated for hundreds of years" without a safety net policy, she added.

The university introduced new guidelines for the 2020-2021 academic year in response to the coronavirus pandemic to "ensure students are not disadvantaged in terms of their achievement".

When her colleague suggested student absences may have been in protest at the changes to examination periods, Dr McCarthy said: "What are they doing? Protesting with their absence? Idiots, absolute idiots."

Dr McCarthy has been approached for comment.