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Minimal services only on campus today - Tuesday 12 March
Posted on behalf of: University of Sussex
Last updated: Tuesday, 12 March 2013
4.45pm update
We have announced plans to open tomorrow (Wednesday 13 March) in separate piece.
Having sought to open campus this morning, we have judged (8.30am) in light of continuing travel problems that we cannot open as normal.
Teaching activities will not therefore be taking place today.
We have sought to keep open core services - eg Library, IT - where we can.
The Library had to close overnight and will open by 10am and remain open until 4pm (enough staff came through to extend from original 2pm plan).
ITS will be aiming to open the Service Desk in Shawcross at 9am but will be running a limited service. They expect then to be closing at 2pm.
Computer cluster rooms across campus should be available provided buildings are open (and, where applicable, staff available to unlock them).
We offered a basic service in Eat Central in Bramber House today - but with limited hot snacks since only small numbers of staff had been able to reach campus.
Eat Central has now closed and no catering is available this evening. However, Co-op is open in Bramber House and there are vending machines.
Sports services will be open until 4pm (unless weather deteriorate this afternoon).
York House 24-hour Reception (ext 8323) and Stanmer Court 24-hour reception (ext 8938) are fully operational.
Assessed work hand-in deadlines deferred
We are deferring today's deadlines for hand-in of assessed work - since not all students are able to travel in. Depending on how travel conditions develop this may be a 24-hour or 48-hour deferral. We will announce the new deadline by tomorrow (Weds 13 March).
Car access - very limited parking
The Knight's Gate Road entrance is closed, with access via Stanmer Park entrance only. Boiler House Hill and Southern Ring Road are not safe to use.
Sports Centre, Sussex House and Biology Road car parks have been cleared.
All other car parks are closed.
Main path to Bramber House is gritted, but all other paths and steps will be icy.
Public transport
By this afternoon (3.00pm) local buses were reported running on to campus.
Trains are running to campus.
Roads across the region were affected early this morning by abandoned cars - so care is needed navigating roads.
If it is not safe for anyone to travel to campus then they should not do so.
Where staff do not provide direct services to students and other staff and can work from home effectively then they can do so.
Other services (3pm update)
We will provide updates on the availability of services as the morning develops.
- MFM Equipment Stores are open as usual for kit returns and collections until 5pm, along with the 24/7 practice facilities being open. This is for MFM practice students only.
- Sussex Innovation Centre have taken the decision not to open today.
- School Offices are not expected to be open today.
- Sussex Regional Access Centre is closed today but messages can be left and will be responded to.
- Falmer Bar - open breakfast 9am-11.30am. Lunch 12 noon onwards. Will close 5pm - last orders for food by 4.30pm. Deli counter closed. Bubble Tea open from 11am.
- East Slope Bar - Open as normal from 12noon
- Union Computers - closed
- Co-op supermarket open as normal but unlikely to receive deliveries so may have limited stock.
- Union Shop, Falmer House, is open as usual now though some supplies may be disrupted.
- Sports facilities will be open no later than 4pm today, however this may change if the weather deteriorates.
- Careers services not open.
- Research Hive activities not taking place.
- Staff training courses are cancelled.
- Q&A session on working with external partners for staff who had booked that with Human Resources at noon is postponed and will be rearranged
- The counselling unit will be closed today. Any queries please contact Director: Mel Withers on 07951 170331 or m.h.withers@sussex.ac.uk
Service managers please email internalcomms@sussex.ac.uk with updates which can be added here.