PhD students are getting a really, really bad deal in terms of how universities are managing this situation. And it seems profoundly gendered and racist.

I have a PhD student who used her max leave of absence for maternity leave (which is apparently not available additionally, ffs). She applied for the Covid-related leave now that she has to homeschool 2 small children and tend to a baby, without any extended family support.

It was suggested to her that this was not covid-related reasons. HER KIDS ARE HOME BECAUSE OF COVID-19. SHE CAN'T SEE HER PARENTS BECAUSE OF COVID-19. SHE CAN'T GET HER INTERNET FIXED BECAUSE OF COVID-19.

The other supervisor and I made our feelings known and are seeking to appeal this, but really, additional bureaucracy right now? WHY? Is is really that hard to not just accept students at face-value and support them?

PhD students do an enormous proportion of universities' research. Can't we just be on the same team as them? Show them that we genuinely care about them and their research and understand the obstacles they might be facing in light of a pandemic? It is OK to be caring!

Then we have the major issue of International Students who seem to have been largely abandoned. Can you imagine how lonely they must be feeling? Their campus is closed, their family is overseas, they might be living in boarding houses or alone.

International students are isolated with no one to care for them if they are to contract Covid-19. They might want to desperately go home, as our government has suggested, but can't for lack of flights / money / safety in home country. Medical care will have barriers.

We are so open to international students funding our system but they are perhaps the least supported group of people in a university. It's embarrassing and saddening that basic care, humanity and compassion is absent from institutions. *end of rant*