RETURN OF STAFF AND STUDENTS TO ALL CAMPUSES AS FROM 1 JUNE 2020
Message by Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor
Dear Colleagues,
I
hope that you are well, healthy, and safe. Since my last message to
you, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that our country will move
to Level 3 of the national lockdown on 1 June 2020. Subsequently, Dr
Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation,
announced specific measures for the post-school education sector in
response to the COVID-19 epidemic under Level 3, in order to
re-integrate staff and students on campus.
Over the past few
weeks, a tremendous amount of work has been done to ensure the
continuation of the Academic Project, and to prepare our campuses for
the return of staff and students, ensuring that it is aligned with
national directives and protocols. This was no small task. In a crisis,
we have to do more than expected, and we have to go beyond the call of
duty. During the past two months, I have seen and experienced many
instances where multi-functional teams effectively engaged to ensure the
continuity of the Academic Project, and the ongoing functioning of the
university’s operations. I am immensely proud of what has been achieved
so far.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to
explore and implement many innovative ways to ensure sustainability and
survival. The university management followed a risk-based approach in
devising a plan to continue providing tuition and academic activities to
students during this time, and to complete the 2020 academic year. Over
and above this, we have ensured that our campuses are ready for the
return of staff and students from 1 June 2020. In our planning, a
phased-in approach is followed to limit the number of staff and students
present at a single location at any given time. This is in line with
the national directive that a maximum of 33% of the university’s staff
and student population may be allowed on campus during Level 3 of the
national lockdown.
The Special Executive Group (SEG),
which I chair, and which was established at the beginning of March 2020,
continues to meet weekly to discuss and decide on the university’s
response to COVID-19 as this pandemic develops over time. Consisting of a
number of task teams, the SEG is the decision-making entity that
responds rapidly, and in a coordinated manner to combat the threats to
business continuity. It also identifies opportunities where the
intellectual knowledge base of the university could be utilised to
impact society positively.
As from 1 June 2020, all staff
members – except those categories of staff specifically mentioned in the
re-integration plan – will continue working from home
during Level 3, until such time as they are officially informed by
their line managers to return to work. However, staff members may be
expected to return to work during this period if the situation so
requires. Staff members must therefore be available and contactable by
their line managers at all times during normal UFS working hours.
Staff
members returning to campus as from 1 June 2020 will include academic
staff who support and lecture our returning students, as well as support
staff in specifically identified business areas. I want to assure you
that your safety, health, and well-being remain our first priority when
you return to campus. Teams from University Estates and other business
areas have worked tirelessly over the past weeks to prepare the
campuses. This includes the disinfection and deep cleaning (where
necessary) of open areas and the hygienic preparation of the campuses
(e.g. hand sanitisers, hand-washing stations at, for instance, entrance
gates and areas with high pedestrian traffic, Perspex screens installed
in high-traffic reception areas where face-to-face engagement is needed,
and social distancing markers in high-traffic buildings). Similarly,
lecture halls are also being prepared to ensure social/physical
distancing.
Strict access protocols will be maintained at the
campus entrances during Level 3 of the national lockdown. Only staff and
students authorised to return to the campuses and issued with
authorisation letters will be granted access to the campuses. The
wearing of masks is compulsory when entering the campuses and proof of
screening must be provided. An online screening questionnaire has been
designed for this purpose. These measures will help ensure that it is
safe for staff and students to return to our campuses.
Residences
on the three campuses are currently being prepared to receive students.
This includes the installation of hand-sanitiser stations at the
entrances of buildings and maintaining social/physical distancing in the
general areas. Daily screening of students in residences will be
compulsory.
I am attaching a document that explains the re-integration plan for Level 3 in detail,
including the arrangements for the return of staff and students to our
campuses: the categories of staff and students, entry to the campus,
wearing of cloth masks, social distancing, environmental hygiene,
protocol for on-campus meetings, vulnerable members of staff, staff with
minor children, public transport, and the management of visitors during
this period. The plan will be amended as and when needed.
It
is important that you maintain regular contact with your team and fellow
colleagues. Most of our staff has been working from home for more than
two months, and I know you might be missing the collegiality and campus
environment. I want to encourage you to be patient, to look after your
physical and mental health, and to make use of the resources available from the Department of Human Resources.
COVID-19
has provided us with opportunities to rethink the world of higher
education afresh, and its impact has been transformative and forced us
to think beyond the pandemic.
May you have a good and restful weekend – remember to #StayAtHome.
Regards,
Prof Francis Petersen
Rector and Vice-Chancellor