Dear Colleagues,
Following the SUSSED News update published on 11 November, we have further developed plans for the safe departure of many of our students for the forthcoming winter break.
The key points for staff to be aware of at this stage are set out below. This information will also be shared with our students, including PGRs, via email shortly:
- The Government has asked Universities to move all teaching online from 9 December, and we will do this so far as we are able to.
- The teaching timetable is a key mechanism for managing this and is being reviewed in liaison with Schools over the coming days.
- We recognise that there will be some teaching sessions timetabled on 9, 10 and 11 December that colleagues will not be able to deliver online (this includes certain lab or practical classes, for example). We will work with Schools to identify these and then to reschedule or replace these sessions. There will be no in-person on-campus teaching sessions after 8 December until the start of next term.
- We expect our students to follow Government guidance on travel during the current lockdown period, which, for most, will mean not travelling home from Southampton or Winchester before 3 December.
- If students intend to leave Southampton/Winchester after lockdown for the winter break, we are advising them to delay leaving until after their last timetabled on-campus class or teaching session.
- Students should take part in our COVID-19 saliva testing programme, if they aren’t doing so already. We will be advising students to take two tests: one 10 to 11 days before they plan to travel and another 2 to 3 days before they intend to travel. If you have a student facing role, please continue to remind students of the importance of taking part in testing. Students can opt in here: southampton.gov.uk/covid19students
- Students are of course welcome to stay at university. Those who do stay are invited to take part in a range of free activities as part of the Virtually Together The plans for which facilities will be open on campus are in progress and we will provide further updates on this in the coming days, including in the student FAQs.
- University teaching will resume on 4 January. We are planning that this will include elements of in-person on-campus teaching and will ask students to plan to be in Southampton or Winchester to be able to engage with that. If the government issues guidance that changes our plans about in-person on-campus teaching, we will be in touch with further details as soon as possible.
- National guidance is still being developed for some specific groups including PGCE students on placement in schools.
- Medicine and Health Sciences students who are on clinical placements are deemed to be essential workers. They are not subject to the government’s “student travel window” and should therefore remain in their placements until the end of term.
- The university will continue to support all students during the winter break, regardless of whether they have left Southampton or Winchester or if they remain here with us. The Student Support Hub can help answer queries regarding fees and funding, accommodation, visas and can offer help with student wellbeing.
Best wishes,
Richard
Richard Middleton, Chief Operating Officer
