The stop of the Madrid universities for the coronavirus delays the Selectivity, at the moment, in mid-June

The Madrid University for 15 days (at the moment). After deciding Tuesday the public centers, grouped around the Conference of Rectors of Universities of Madrid (CRUMA), which would stop their activity, this Wednesday they have tried to shape this strike and inform their students and teachers, with some answers , but also some unresolved questions yet.

As explained by the rector of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) after an extraordinary meeting of the Governing Council, the idea, endorsed by all public universities, is to act as if these 15 days did not exist. All deadlines are delayed two weeks. Training activities are canceled, exams are postponed, doctoral thesis defenses are closed ("in cases of extreme need they will be done behind closed doors," Goyache explained).

Although everything is likely to change at any time - as Goyache explained, they have been transferred from the health authorities the orders will change "it may be that from one day to another" -, the idea at the student level is to delay the completion of classes until May 29, the exams will be held between June 1 and 15 and the extraordinary one from July 1 to 15. "We must guarantee students the normal development of their studies, but no course is going to be missed, we will do whatever it is," rector reassured.

The entrance exam to the University, the EVAU, will also be delayed. From the UCM, they explain that, in the absence of official confirmation by CRUMA, it will be held from June 16 to 19 (the results will be one week later) and the extraordinary call from July 14 to 17.

Universities are aware, explained the rector, that these new dates can pose problems with the EVAU - in summer it can be very hot and universities are not prepared for that circumstance - that they will be addressed. There is even the option of moving the tests to better qualified places.

Universities are aware that the delay in the calendar can cause complications of deadlines for students in many areas, from the possibility of enrolling in a master's degree from another center after completing this course to housing needs (UCM has many students from outside of Madrid they live in rental apartments, for example, they will have to stay at least half a month more than they probably did not have), but given the uncertainty of the situation they have preferred not to enter into these issues pending the development of events

The UCM has reported that only two of its major schools have closed, and explained that according to their data 60% of the 750 residents in these centers had returned to their places of origin or planned to do so during these days.

Studies and practices

What will happen with the classes these 15 days of break has been one of the most commented aspects at the meeting of the Governing Council of the UCM. The idea of ​​universities is to promote telestudio, for what they have asked the faculties to promote the virtual campus.

But the student representative on the Governing Council of the UCM has pointed out two problems generated by this practice: the difficulty that some students may find to work online because they do not have the means (and university libraries are closed) and the fact that that, if classes are to be extended two weeks, working during these 15 days does not mean extending the university course over the established time.

Other teachers have wondered what happens with the studies that are already done basically online - not many, the UCM is a face-to-face center - and if there is a need in these cases to also delay the calendar.

The Complutense has also reported news with university, curricular or extracurricular practices. Although at first the intention was to suspend them all, the universities have agreed, together with the destination companies, that those that can be carried out in the telecommuting modality will be carried out remotely.

The university has also informed that the practices will be evaluated as to whether they have been able to acquire the necessary skills even in spite of these 15 days of suspension and may be terminated the same or if these two weeks will have to be recovered.

The UCM has informed that it intends to maintain the economic aid and the Social Security contribution in those that contemplate them, although they also admit that they do not know if it can be done and that it has been consulted waiting for a response.