Universities

[cybershot]

Ours is open, and I am that fire warden and first aider

I don’t think they can force you to go in to just twiddle your thumbs in case of fire or accident. That was the argument from our side, so decision was to allow building to close. I’m trying to see if I can find space for up to 4 people in the lab I work out of that’s open for now but suspect the building manager will veto allowing more people into the building.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I don’t think they can force you to go in to just twiddle your thumbs in case of fire or accident. That was the argument from our side, so decision was to allow building to close. I’m trying to see if I can find space for up to 4 people in the lab I work out of that’s open for now but suspect the building manager will veto allowing more people into the building.

Oh I’ve got plenty of stuff to do as well, mores the pity

 

[Lord Camomile]

our management line seem to be intending to be guided solely by government advice

Yeah, in a meeting between reps and our dept. management I got very annoyed when our director said "we're following the government guidance which is all we can do", to which I manged a very restrained "it's not all we can do, if the government guidance isn't good enough then we have to do better".

Submitted an open letter today signed by 40 staff (out of 140, but we only gave them this morning to sign it ). Dept management had a meeting that afternoon with the 'covid response' team (basically), so we're hoping the letter influenced whatever went on in there.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Reducing service and closing some of our library spaces, thus reducing staffing levels and need for so many staff to work on campus.

Detail still to come out, personally still want them to go further, but a step in the right direction.

 

[hash tag]

This should be taken out of universities hands; there really should be a common agreement on all of this.

From todays rag Lecturers warn they will strike if forced to resume 'unsafe' teaching

 

[Lord Camomile]

This should be taken out of universities hands; there really should be a common agreement on all of this.

Fundamentally, yup.

 

[cybershot]

Gavin Williamson plans phased return to English universities in March

Education secretary targets 8 March but vice-chancellors warn Covid will keep most students away

www.theguardian.com

 

[flypanam]

We've had our list of expectations from senior management yesterday. The overall tone is one of delight. They admit they've lobbied for a full return. Their using a simple formula of a phased return of students over the week of the 8th. They will be tested twice a week using Lateral Flow.

Academic staff are to lecture in person but not provide office hours for f2f meetings which should remain online. Senior management and Admin staff must continue to work from home. Student facing staff (Services, Student support, Library) must be prepared to offer full services last seen at the very beginning of 2020.

There are no guidelines about wearing face masks or disciplinary procedures for student infractions such as parties in halls this time round.

Not looking forward to the 8th.

 

[redsquirrel]

Jesus that is ludicrous flypanam, do you think you will be able to fight it off?

Fine details still to be ironed out here but general situation is while there will some increase in on-site teaching for select courses, overall things will continue as is until after Easter.

 

[flypanam]

Jesus that is ludicrous flypanam, do you think you will be able to fight it off?

Fine details still to be ironed out here but general situation is while there will some increase in on-site teaching for select courses, overall things will continue as is until after Easter.

We've an all staff meeting this afternoon to discuss it, I suspect we won't have a unified voice as one or two of the admin staff I know are very happy with this (I suspect they will be asked to wfh for a long time, thus reducing costs to the college.)

As a library team, I think we'll have to fight it. Being in a small library with students that are not vaccinated, without being vaccinated ourselves is obviously a worry. Nevermind allowing student browsing in the stacks, staff lone working in the evening, and all with no concrete policy on student mask wearing.

 

[hash tag]

Mrs Tag has been told her library is back on the 8th. I gather very few staff will have had their first vaccine before then.

 

[StoneRoad]

That does not bode well IMO,
surely the staff should have been vaccinated before allowing students to return..
I foresee a fair few spikes in cases, almost a re-run, in fact.

 

[hash tag]

Sorry, I know it's not C19, but hey Exeter students evacuated over suspected WW2 bomb

 

[Pickman's model]

Back after Easter

 

[flypanam]

We’ve said we’re only happy to do click and collect. Waiting for SMT pushback.

 

[hash tag]

I believe Mrs tag's is arranging click and collect - hopefully they will have a safe queuing system only allowing a single person in at a time

 

[strung out]

Said this on another thread, but my university library has been staffed and open throughout lockdown for students needing to study for various reasons, although they're not questioned on what their need is.

We've been doing click and collect throughout, as well as postal loans at our expense, although most of the focus has been on converting as much of the stuff on reading lists to digital content wherever possible.

We're expecting around 50% of our students to be eligible to be back on campus for taught courses from March, but don't think we'll see an equivalent number of students back in the library during that time. I guess we'll see though.

 

[hash tag]

Could well be of interest to one or two on here University campuses evolving to a changing world

 

[BigMoaner]

mine seems to be going the full hybrid mode

 

[Wilf]

All the stuff about 'agile modes', hybrids and the rest is pretty grim. Certainly won't result in more full time staff employed on national conditions. Never let a good disaster go to waste.

 

[redsquirrel]

Latest salvos being fired in the long running USS dispute too. Move to DC back on the table. Highlighting the total fucking stupidity of Sally Hunt and her supporters in not pressing on with the strikes in 2018.

 

[cybershot]

Students returning to university in England from 17 May

A million students currently learning online will go back to university campuses next month.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Elpenor]

My colleagues girlfriend is returning to Uni next week

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Students returning to university in England from 17 May

A million students currently learning online will go back to university campuses next month.

www.bbc.co.uk

headline says "Students returning to university in England from 17 May"

first line says " Students on all university courses in England will return "no earlier than 17 May", the government has announced. "

which doesn't seem to be quite the same thing...

 

[kabbes]

Returning just in time for... exams?

 

[strung out]

Returning just in time for... exams?

Some universities are having an expanded third semester I think. Can't remember the exact details but my place has got quite a lot of scheduled teaching over the summer. More than usual.

 

[cybershot]

Well, without wanting to post too much as this hasn’t been released yet and I’ve only took a very quick glance but I’m surprised to see we’re taking a totally flexible approach to home working going forward.

Framework is about to be released where roles will be defined as on campus or hybrid.
perhaps the biggest surprise from that is no mandate on how much time you must spend on campus. In fact the opposite in that you must not spend 100% of your time at home. With seemingly no definition of what that 100% relates too. So for e.g could someone just come in 1 day a year and that’s fine. They have met their ‘not 100%’

I suspect there will be more detail soon but it sounds like this all falls down to line managers to make the unpopular decisions once an employee asks to be hybrid and all arrangements are agreed informally.

So is somewhat passing the buck and I can feel I’m going to have some awkward conversations going forward. I do want my staff on campus more because I feel they collaborate tons better when in the office, but if some are in some days and others not it’s all seems a bit pointless as the collaboration remains crap and I also feel it will stop people from developing as quickly as they could.

I’m not against working from home. It clearly has its advantages as well as disadvantages.

One of my employees is so shy I think I’ve only seen their face 2/3 times in meetings since March 2020 and I’ve had to request they did it because it was either development review or needing to introduce themselves to a new member of staff.

I’m sure more details will come soon but I wasn’t expecting our place to be so flexible.

 

[Pickman's model]

Tbh I'd rather go in and skive instead of skiving at home

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Well, without wanting to post too much as this hasn’t been released yet and I’ve only took a very quick glance but I’m surprised to see we’re taking a totally flexible approach to home working going forward.

Framework is about to be released where roles will be defined as on campus or hybrid.
perhaps the biggest surprise from that is no mandate on how much time you must spend on campus. In fact the opposite in that you must not spend 100% of your time at home. With seemingly no definition of what that 100% relates too. So for e.g could someone just come in 1 day a year and that’s fine. They have met their ‘not 100%’

I suspect there will be more detail soon but it sounds like this all falls down to line managers to make the unpopular decisions once an employee asks to be hybrid and all arrangements are agreed informally.

So is somewhat passing the buck and I can feel I’m going to have some awkward conversations going forward. I do want my staff on campus more because I feel they collaborate tons better when in the office, but if some are in some days and others not it’s all seems a bit pointless as the collaboration remains crap and I also feel it will stop people from developing as quickly as they could.

I’m not against working from home. It clearly has its advantages as well as disadvantages.

One of my employees is so shy I think I’ve only seen their face 2/3 times in meetings since March 2020 and I’ve had to request they did it because it was either development review or needing to introduce themselves to a new member of staff.

I’m sure more details will come soon but I wasn’t expecting our place to be so flexible.

Interesting...