Open Letter Regarding Universal Access to Lecture Recordings
/To the Acting Vice-Chancellor Jennifer Windsor, Vice-Provost Academic Stuart Brock and the Provost Wendy Larner of Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.
We are writing to call on you to guarantee universal access to lecture recordings for 2023 and beyond – all lectures should be recorded, available online for the entire course, to all its students. Our petition that has over 2000 signatories demonstrates a mandate for this.
VUWSA - Te Aka Tauira, the Students’ Assembly and Student Academic Committee advocate for and represent the 22,000 students studying at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.
During the last two and half years, the University has emphasised universal access to lecture recordings as a part of the dual delivery mandate. However, some faculties, schools and courses have moved towards diminished lecture recording access. Hardship thresholds to access recordings are loaded with stigma, so students often choose not to disclose their struggles. Recordings being available for a limited time or with a delayed upload unfairly punish students who cannot attend live lectures, and are inconsistent with course structures that have week 12 assessments which require revision of all content.
Our asks
1. A policy commitment from Tri 1 2023 onwards: Universal access to lecture recordings - that all lectures are recorded and made available for the whole length of a course. The University must also make other necessary policy changes to accommodate this.
2. An initiative to seriously invest in resource and support for staff to develop high-quality online and blended learning to engage all students and ensure student success.
3. A requirement that courses build-in direct links to studyhub resources that support students’ online learning and study skills.
4. An urgent meeting with the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Provost and Vice Provost Academic to discuss all of the above.
