Message to all staff from Professor Ian Anderson AO, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student and University Experience)
Dear colleagues,
As some of us prepare to return to campus to resume some resemblance of normal, I would like to start this message by acknowledging the work of the many staff who have remained on campus for the past few months to keep the buildings secure, our computers running well, processing our pays each fortnight and supporting the residential students for whom campus is home (among other things!). I'm sure they've been enjoying the peace and quiet to some degree, but are also looking forward to seeing some more friendly faces around the place. Thank you for all your work during these unprecedented times.
You will have seen the Vice-Chancellor's blog last Friday about the graduated return to campus, and I know many of you have seen the stages of return on the website. Today's edition of On&OffCampus provides more of the operational and day to day information you will need for a safe return to campus. This information for returning to campus will guide and inform decisions about local areas, which will be made by Deans, Portfolio heads, School and Service Division Directors. These staff will be communicating directly with you on their decisions and when it is safe for you to return.
Returning to campus is optional for some of us. For others, your core work must occur on campus. Either way, it's something you should be discussing with your direct supervisor and local areas will need to make sure they have all necessary action plans and approvals in place for their staff to work on campus. Our commitment to flexibility has not changed, and more information about working arrangements is available in the HR fact sheet.
But if you are planning to work on campus, you will need to adhere to the CovidSafe Campus arrangements we have in place. This includes maintaining physical distancing, ensuring hand hygiene and cough etiquette, and regularly cleaning your work space and any surfaces you are using. More information on the CovidSafe Campus is available here.
I encourage everyone to read the information on the website, and if you still have questions about returning to campus or any other matters, please attend a community forum next week with the Vice-Chancellor and me.
Remember, a return to campus does not mean a return to normal. We will be navigating our way through the new normal for some time still, and feedback and suggestions on how best to manage this are always welcome.
Stay safe
Ian
