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Return to campus: guidance for all staff

This news story has been updated since it was issued on Wednesday 23 September, in the section Campus Buildings and risk assessments, regarding additional FAQs and information on ventilation.

Today, 23 September, an email was sent to all staff with the latest guidance for returning to campus. You can read the full email below:

Dear colleague,
 
Below is an update of the latest advice and information to prepare you for the term and a safe return to campus.

1. View the induction video
As we begin the term, and staff return to campus, we ask that you watch our new staff induction video.
 
It’s important that you know the latest guidance and measures in place to reduce the transmission of Covid-19, including what to do if you feel unwell.
 
We ask that the whole video is watched as it contains key information from our Health & Safety team and how we will maintain social distancing so you can return to work on campus in a safe way. It will also help you to understand how in-person teaching on campus will work in practice and the new rules of the classroom.
 
Please follow the joining instructions to view the video in LearnUpon on our Return to campus: Things you must do page.

2. Health and safety guidance for teaching
Health and safety guidance is now available for teaching staff who are returning to campus.

The guidance outlines the measures being put in place to ensure staff can safely return to teaching in classrooms, lecture theatres and laboratories.

This document complements existing government guidelines on maintaining social distancing.

Separate University of Sussex guidance is available for offices, laboratory facilities, performing arts and residential settings.

3. Campus buildings and risk assessments
All University buildings have now re-opened with the required assessments completed.
 
As part of the phased re-opening of campus, guidance on risk assessments as well as assessments for the general use of teaching and office space are available to understand and view. Risk assessments have been reviewed by members of the University’s Health & Safety team.
 
These are all now available on the Health & Safety Covid-19 resources page (at the end of the accordion). Some new FAQ’s on risk assessments have also been updated this week, which you can view here. 

In addition, a detailed paper on the University’s ventilation surveys and checks has been shared – and is available alongside the risk assessments for teaching and office space.

4. Attendance monitoring for academic staff – with detailed guidance
We have updated our guidance on recording student attendance and engagement.  

Whilst Canvas will be the first means of identifying where students may be struggling to engage with teaching and learning (and therefore may require support), recording attendance at face-to-face and on-line synchronous teaching and contacts is also crucial.  It will support student welfare interventions if needed; help us meet compliance requirements (e.g. for UKVI); and help support Public Health England’s Track and Trace system. 

As physical registers cannot be circulated between students, for health and safety reasons, one tool that may help staff recording attendance is the (re)introduction of the attendance function on the Sussex Mobile App.

There are links to all the relevant guidance on our Working and teaching on campus page.

5. Mobile Covid-19 testing unit on campus
As part of local emergency and contingency planning, the University has made arrangements with the local authority to host a Covid-19 mobile testing unit in the event of an outbreak on campus.

Sussex staff and students showing symptoms of Covid-19 would be able to get a test at the unit.

Anyone attending an appointment would be provided with guidance on getting to and from the test site safely, and additional support would be available for people with disabilities.

The unit would remain in place as long as needed.

More details will be provided on the unit, if this contingency plan was enacted.
 
6. NHS COVID-19 app
All Sussex staff and students are strongly encouraged to download and use a new NHS Covid-19 contact-tracing app.
 
The new technology will facilitate the national NHS Test and Trace service, by logging if app users have spent 15 minutes or more within 2 metres of another user; if one user is later diagnosed with the virus, the other person can be alerted to this.
 
The app will also ask users to scan a barcode-like QR code at particular locations, so that they can be alerted if any location is subsequently linked to multiple infections.
 
User data will not be centralised but will stay in the phone and can be deleted at any time. None of the data will be visible to the University of Sussex.
 
Universities are among a number of organisations that have been asked to support the app by displaying posters with QR codes.
 
At Sussex, QR codes will be posted at various campus locations where people congregate, such as lecture theatres, the Library and cafes.

7. Sussex academic forum
Academic staff have lots of questions and concerns about returning to campus for the start of the academic year in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
While the campus has continued to operate and remain open for some, for many academics this will be the first time they have been on site at the University for some months.
 
This event, later today, will give staff the opportunity to hear from Provost, Professor Saul Becker, Pro Vice Chancellor for Education and Students, Professor Kelly Coate and Director of Human Resources, Siobhan O’Reilly who will give a presentation.
 
They will cover the extensive planning and preparation which taken place to allow campus to operate safely, explain how face-to-face and synchronous teaching will be delivered and outline the support and guidance available for staff.
 
Following the presentation, Chief Operating Officer, Tim Westlake, and Senior Health and Safety Adviser, Alistair Hardwick, will join the panellists for a Q&A session, where attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions anonymously.
 
We hope you can join and if you’ve not done so already, please book your place.
 
If you’re unable to take part in the webinar a recording will be made available online afterwards so you can catch up on what you missed.

8. Self-isolation 
If you become ill with Covid-19 symptoms or need to self-isolate, you should follow the Covid-19 sickness reporting procedure. 

If you do have to self-isolate and are off work due to health reasons or travel – this will be counted as special leave, rather than sick leave.  This will be recorded locally by your line manager and will not be calculated as part of your sick leave, as long as you have completed the Covid-19 sickness reporting procedure.

If you remain well during self-isolation managers should make every effort to find suitable work that can be done remotely.  If no suitable remote work is available, then you will still be paid.  The Special Isolation Leave will be for a maximum of 14 days.

If you go on to develop symptoms and become unwell, then the Isolation Special Leave will switch to sick leave.

The Special Isolation Leave arrangement will be reviewed by the University at the end of December 2020. 

If you go abroad and government guidance changed while you were on holiday and had no reasonable expectation of having to self-isolate, then as long as you remain well, you can either work remotely or take Special Isolation Leave if there is no work available to you. 

Where a country already requires a quarantine period of return, you must agree how your isolation period will be dealt with before you travel.

Anyone not doing this can be expected to use additional annual leave or unpaid leave for the duration of the quarantine period. You can see the current list of those countries requiring quarantine.

9. Flu-jabs  
As a priority, all staff returning to campus who are eligible for a free vaccination are encouraged to book and receive their vaccination in order to reduce the risks for them and for our whole community associated with the impact of seasonal flu.  

Our campus Pharmacy has a limited supply of flu vaccinations available from the beginning of the academic year. 

Of course, staff may prefer to have a vaccination from their GP, and it may be easier to do so.  

Those of us who are not eligible at the moment for a free flu vaccination, may wish to book and pay for a vaccination from a pharmacy or another provider.  Many supermarket pharmacies now offer flu vaccinations.  You can read the current information on flu vaccinations and eligibility for free vaccinations.  

If you wish or need to have a vaccination, the University actively encourages you to take the time required to do this.
 
Best wishes,

Internal Communications