Important information for a safe return to campus

Message to students returning to campus from Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong or Shellharbour.

Dear students

We're looking forward to welcoming you back for Semester 2 in a couple of weeks' time. We have experienced another series of restrictions and lockdowns that have impacted many of you. COVID-19 continues to impact us here and our students overseas, and following the health advice from your local government helps us to keep our community safe.

The purpose of this email is to help you prepare and understand the requirements for a safe return to campus later this month.

For those of you who remained in the ACT or are not currently under restrictions in other states and the territory, returning to campus should be relatively straight forward. The ACT has restrictions in place for those who have been in exposure locations, and public health advice that you will need to be aware of when you return to campus - check the ACT Health 'Entering the ACT' website regularly before, during and after your travel.

NSW-based students

The extension of the Greater Sydney lockdown until 11.59pm on Friday 16 July 2021 means anyone entering the ACT from Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong or Shellharbour will be subject to a number of requirements as outlined on the ACT Health NSW Page. This includes:

• notifying of travel via completion of the online exemption form within 24 hours prior to arriving in the ACT;
• traveling directly to your residence and stay at home until 11.59pm on Friday 16 July 2021 or until advised by ACT Health;
• only leaving your residence for an essential purpose during the stay-at-home period.

For planning purposes, the length of time you will be under stay-at-home orders will depend on what happens with the Sydney lockdown, but will be no more than 14 days. This means that should you return next week you will be able to move freely about the campus from the first week of Semester 2 at the latest.

If you are unable to return to the ACT in time for the start of Semester 2, options to undertake courses online will be available until you are able to return to campus.

Sydney-based students in on-campus accommodation

If you live in residential accommodation on campus, we thank you for your patience over the past two weeks and for remaining in Sydney as per instructions.

We are making active plans for your return, with the intention of making Davey Lodge available from Monday 12 July for those of you under stay-at-home orders who cannot complete the order in your usual place of residence. This includes all students who do not normally reside in a self-contained apartment.

To assist with our planning, your Head of Residence will email your ANU address to seek your advice of when you would like to travel back to ANU.  If you have not received an email please contact us via uni.accom@anu.edu.au.

Following receipt of your email, your residence team will contact you about potentially staying in Davey Lodge and provide detailed check-in procedures and what to bring advice.

Students who complete a stay-at-home order at Davey Lodge will continue to pay their accommodation tariff as per their current occupancy agreement. There will be no additional charge for staying at Davey Lodge.

COVID-safe plans on campus in Semester 2

The risk of COVID-19 spreading in the ACT is currently very low, and it has been 363 days since our last local case. The ANU COVID-safe Campus Alert System remains at BLUE/LOW RISK. However, there is currently an ACT Government mandate to wear masks in public spaces until 11.59pm 9 July 2021. Our current level is 'BLUE plus masks', but this is likely to change BLUE before Semester 2 starts.

Apart from any mask-wearing requirements, our COVID-safe plans remain unchanged - including our intention to move to 100 per cent capacity in classrooms, wherever possible.

For everyone who will be rejoining us at the start of the new semester, it would be great to see you welcoming our newest students - in person and online. Starting university is a daunting experience at the best of times, and starting during a global pandemic will bring with it other challenges. So let's welcome our students to our community, and ensure from their first day they know how excited we are to have them joining us.

Enjoy the rest of your break and take care.

Kind regards

Ian

Professor Ian Anderson

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student and University Experience)
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