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A clearer view 8. 30: I arrive at work and enter the hubbub of the clearing studio of the University of North London, fully trained and eager to start. Many of the tutors have arrived before me and are sitting at their desks with pencils in front of them, ready to begin. As a student
recruiter I liaise between the admin department and the academics themselves
- a diplomat between very different worlds. It's odd being asked questions
by people who teach: how do I do this? What does that mean? When can
we go home? 9.30: The phones start coming alive. We receive a call from a student with two Ns and a U. "No, sorry," the tutor says. "Worth a try," he remarks. There is some amusement about students trying to get in to university with "nil points". Some sound
so crushed that I begin to wonder if they understand that an N or a
U is a fail. Andrew, a lecturer in philosophy, remains philosophical:
"Many students do well at GCSE and become complacent; at 18 they
get distracted by sex, drugs and other things. There is also no direct
correlation between good A levels and a good degree." 10.30:
Young Oliver arrives, with much cooing from the lecturers. Throughout
the day this lecturer's baby proves to be well-behaved: patient, quiet,
friendly - despite being 8 months old. He is also a reminder that many
lecturers (some with babes in arms) have had holidays trimmed to come
in to answer calls. 11.00:
An unseemly scramble for the coffee cart breaks out in the corridor.
2.00:
Still wondering how some students get such low results, I am told
about a student who lost both his grandparents during his exams. The
tutor arranged to see a sample of his coursework. 2.30: By now, most students would have risen from the dead on this day of reckoning. I remember how nervous I was some six years ago whenever I came into contact with university staff. Now the lecturers seem almost normal - chatty, relaxed. The emphasis
is on enabling students to continue their studies. Work experience,
as well as formal qualifications, are considered when a mature student
applies. Maths and English tests are held to ensure all applicants without
formal qualifications can participate fruitfully. 2.35:
I receive a call from a student wishing to study one module in Irish
studies after seeing an advert in Ri-Ra - a new magazine for the Irish
community. A mature student, she already has a degree but wants to explore
a new area. 3.00:
In a lull, the lecturers start to swap anecdotes. One received a call
from a student who asked what subjects we offered. "What are you
interested in?" tutor asks. "Wot you got?" student replies.
4.30:
Young Oliver loses his patience and his crying adds to the atmosphere
of fraught tiredness. 6.00: I slink off an hour before the hotline closes. Many students would have done the sensible thing and got drunk on Thursday and Friday, spend Saturday and Sunday assessing their prospects and will ring on Monday, when I will be sitting in UNL waiting to take the call.
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