Goldsmiths University Allows Students To Request Assignment Extensions If They Have Experienced Racial Trauma | UK News

Goldsmiths University students can now request an extension of assignment deadlines if they believe they have suffered racial trauma.

The university changed its deferral policy after a proposal from the students’ union, updating extenuating circumstances they can cite when requesting exam or essay extensions.

The new policy will incorporate racial trauma, meaning black students and those from ethnically diverse communities can request an extension or postponement of an assignment on that basis.

Sara Bafo, president of the Goldsmith Students Union, tweeted: “The university accepted our proposal to incorporate ‘racial trauma’ as the reason to postpone essays and exams for Blacks and PoCs. [person of colour] students, this will be done by self-certification (moving away from providing so-called evidence). “

Those applying for an extension will not have to provide evidence of what this racial trauma means, but it will be through a self-certification process and will be assessed by the university.

Goldsmiths, which is part of the University of London, has more students who say they come from ethnically diverse communities than those who identify as white.

According to the Universities UK 2020 report on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 48% of Goldsmiths students are from diverse ethnic backgrounds, compared to 47% white.

It is also a much higher proportion of students who identify as ethnically diverse than the national average at UK universities, which is 25%.

This includes 25% …