This exceptional measure was agreed upon following the University’s decision to move all face-to-face teaching online for the remainder of the academic year.
The Rector has reported to the Social Council’s Standing Committee regarding the measures adopted by the the ULPGC concerning the impact of COVID-19.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 9th April 2020. During a meeting of the Standing Committee held yesterday (Wednesday) via videoconference, the ULPGC Social Council agreed to waive payments for those staying in university accommodation for the duration of the health emergency declared by the Spanish government.
This exceptional measure was agreed upon as a result of the health emergency caused by COVID-19 and the complete cancellation of face-to-face teaching during this academic year. It was described by the chairman of the Social Council, Jesús León, as “a good social initiative in the face of the extraordinary situation we are experiencing, which will affect many families”. He also assured that this measure applies to those students and lecturers who have been staying in the ULPGC’s two halls of residence or in their apartments”.
The Rector of the ULPGC has expressed his approval of this measure following the University’s decision that it would be unable to offer face-to-face clases during the remainder of this academic year and the decision to close many of its facilities since the middle of March. Similarly, the Vice-rector of Students and Sports, Antonio Ramos, has reported that a total of 70 students and two lecturers remain in university accommodation, primarily as they are unable to return to their places of residence due to flight cancellations, or as they are considered at a high risk of infection.
The ULPGC has two sets of university accommodation in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: one on the Tafira campus with 252 individual rooms and another in the city centre, in the calle León y Castillo, with accommodation for 58 people. Moreover, the ULPGC also has a complex with small apartments on the Tafira campus, with a capacity for 50 people, and four short stay bungalows.
The Social Council decided to waive payments for all university accommodation following the report by the Rector of the ULPGC, Rafael Robaina. In his report to the members of the Standing Committee, he explained the measures adopted by the University as a result of the lockdown ordered by the Spanish government. In this respect, the Rector highlighted that as a result of the pandemic it is inadvisable to return to the classrooms during this academic year and that each centre will conduct teaching and examination remotely through the Virtual Campus and the ULPGC E-Learning Centre [la estructura de Teleformación de la ULPGC].
The Rector also assured that, in line with the directives for teaching centres, “tuition will be given to conclude the academic year, with provisions made concerning examination, work placements and all measures required to finalise this ill-fated 2019-2020 academic year” and that this will be discussed with representatives of the different sectors concerned. Furthermore, he reiterated that “these measures, which will naturally need the approval of the Governing Council, are to be of a flexible and extraordinary nature and need to be understood with a broad perspective, as is required in these exceptional circumstances”.