Dear colleagues,
Following the latest announcements from government about the new restrictions that will come into force from Wednesday 2 December, and confirmation that Birmingham will be in Tier 3, we are sharing what this means for the University.
Overall, we anticipate little change in our current mode of operations, which will continue until the Christmas break commences on 21 December, particularly given that the government remains clear that ‘schools, universities, colleges and early years settings remain open in all tiers’ and that ‘employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary’. Research activity will continue and key services, including the library, study spaces, welfare and wellbeing services, will be available to students who remain on campus or who are commuter students and particularly those students remaining in our halls of residence.
This briefing provides an overview of the guidance and our plans for the period from 2 December to 4 January and outlines how we will stay open to support students in residence over Christmas and New Year. Further guidance is due out from government about the arrangements in January and the return of students to campus and we will be in touch again when we have more information. This briefing covers the following areas that we understand staff will be particularly interested in:
- Students – plans for teaching, testing and support
- Research – including the latest guidance for PGRs
- Staff – guidance on working from home and working from campus
- Facilities and services
Students – Plans for teaching, testing and support
Online teaching
As set out in the staff briefing on 13 November, the last day of face-to-face teaching on campus will be Friday 4 December. This is in line with DfE guidance that all teaching should be delivered online by 9 December to enable students to study online while they get tested and either return home immediately or isolate prior to returning home.
The last week of teaching before Christmas (week commencing Monday 7 December) will be delivered online, as will Assessment Support Week (week commencing Monday 14 December). There are only very limited exceptions to this, including some health and social care students on clinical placements, ITT postgraduates and PGR students. These exceptions will be communicated locally. This move to wholly online teaching is in place until the Christmas closure. We are expecting DfE guidance on January arrangements this week, and we will be back in touch once we have confirmation from government about the arrangements for students returning to universities and any implications this may have for the start of Semester 2.
Christmas Test and Go
We are taking part in the national programme of lateral flow testing of asymptomatic students before they return home for Christmas. The site, which is located in the Great Hall, will be open from 2 to 9 December. More information about this is available on the student intranet. Booking opened last week with 7,000 students already booked on. We are also working with transport providers locally and nationally to support students to travel during this period.
Students on campus over Christmas
It is important to note that while we anticipate many students will return home during the government’s travel window of 3 – 9 December, we are expecting that more than 1,000 students will remain in residence here throughout December and January and that a number of international students will arrive during this period. In order to continue to support these students, the Library and some study spaces will remain open as will a range of catering services. Welfare and support services will be accessible online. A full list is included in the facilities and services section below. We are also developing with the Guild a wider programme of engagement and fun activities, aligned to the local Tier 3 restrictions, for those students remaining on campus over the Christmas break.
Research activities
Research activities on campus will continue until the Christmas break with research facilities and laboratories, and other research spaces on campus remaining open and accessible for all researchers to continue their research ‘in person’ if it cannot reasonably be continued by working at home. The DfE has confirmed that PGR students will also be able to remain on campus carrying out research activity throughout this period should they wish to do so and in agreement with their supervisor.
The current social distancing measures in all research areas will remain in place, and we ask researchers to observe these carefully and hope it will still be possible for you to work purposefully and productively in this period. Those researchers who may have reached a phase of development where it would be a good time to, for example, analyse the data, plan the next phase of work, draft a paper, thesis chapter or grant application, or focus on some computational work that could be carried out from home are encouraged to consider spending a greater proportion of their time working from home (if there is a suitable working environment).
Professor Tim Softley will continue to work with the College Directors of Research to review research activity on campus in light of the latest guidance and provide further updates as required.
Staff - Guidance on Working from Home/Working on campus
The University continues to keep its guidance on staff working under review in light of the latest government guidance. Following confirmation that Birmingham will be in Tier 3, our current guidance will remain in place until the Christmas break starts on 21 December.
The guidance has been designed to strike the appropriate balance between the expectation that universities remain open, sustaining campus research and maintaining support on campus for students; and the more general public health message that staff should work from home where it is possible to do so.
The new regulations require the government to review the tier allocations for each region every 14 days, with the first review on the 16 December. We will therefore keep this guidance under review to reflect any changes to the tier that Birmingham is in.
The guidance below covers the period from 2 December.
Staff who should continue to work on campus during this period of Tier 3 restrictions
In some of the categories below, a full-time presence on campus will be required; in others, it will be as agreed with the line manager on a part-time or occasional basis with the remainder of working time spent working from home;
- all those delivering face-to-face teaching, supporting those who deliver such teaching, together with those required to support any other form of academic interaction as determined by their College;
- all those providing support and other services to students or applicants where campus presence is required to deliver this support;
- all those providing support and other services to staff on campus where a campus presence is required to deliver that support (including where applicable during the Christmas closed period);
- all those undertaking research on campus where there is not a natural break allowing remote working as outlined in the section on research above, or those whose role supports that research, including technical staff;
- all those responsible for the safety and security of campus buildings and equipment;
- all those providing those campus services for staff, students and others on campus, which remain consistent with current Tier restrictions for the city;
- all those providing essential health screening services for staff or students where these cannot be delivered remotely;
- all those who need to manage or provide the effective handover of information, materials or University property as a result of resignation or departure under VLS.
Staff who need not work on campus during the period of Tier 3 restrictions
Reflecting public health guidance, any member of staff not in a category listed above who can work effectively from home.
Staff who may work on campus during the period of Tier 3 restrictions
Any member of staff who is not required by nature of their role to work on campus, but who feels that their mental or physical wellbeing or ability to deliver their role most effectively requires a campus presence some or all of the time. This is possible given that campus remains open, but must be with the agreement of the Director of Professional Services or the College Director of Operations and with due regard to health and safety considerations, including the avoidance of lone working.
Staff who should not work on campus
- Any member of staff who has been through a return to work on campus assessment and has been advised by Occupational Health or a medical professional (including a midwife in respect of pregnancy) not to travel to work on campus.
- The University will provide more guidance to staff once further government guidance on this matter has been published. In the meantime, if staff in the clinically extremely vulnerable category have any immediate concerns, they should raise these in the first instance with their line manager.
Facilities and Services
Buildings and maintenance
We are planning for almost all buildings to remain open and operational until the Christmas break, with existing risk assessments, existing COVID-secure measures and current cleaning regimes all remaining in place. If you are unsure of the status of a building please contact your Director of Operations or Operations Manager for clarification. A number of buildings will also remain open during the break to support those students who remain on campus.
Car parking
Car parks will remain open and we will be suspending all car parking charges for staff until the 4 January to support those who travel to work by car during this period.
Libraries and study spaces
Maintaining an on-campus experience for those students that remain here is particularly important and library and study spaces on campus will remain open up to the Christmas break. The main library will also be open every day during the Christmas break apart from 24 -27 December and 1-3 January. Library and study spaces in MDS will also be open until the Christmas break.
Live map of available study spaces
Sports, Museums and Galleries
In line with Tier 3 guidance, the University’s Sports Centre will reopen on 2 December but with restrictions in place around classes and team sports. Tiverton Gym will remain open until 18 December.
The government has confirmed that Museums and Galleries must remain closed in Tier 3 and therefore the Lapworth Museum, Barber Institute, Elgar Concert Hall, and Winterbourne House will remain closed for visitors, although they will continue to be open specifically for research and teaching activity. Winterbourne Gardens will also be open for staff and student use.
Cafes and catering
There will be a limited number of catering outlets open on campus to support students and those staff who continue to work from campus – but, with the exception of catering on the Vale student meal plan dining area, they will continue to only provide takeaway or click and collect services in line with Tier 3 restrictions. During the Christmas break the catering provision will continue for students in halls of residence. We will also continue to provide ‘isolation packs’ for any students that need to self-isolate during this period.
Nurseries
The government has made clear that all educational establishments will remain open and that this includes nurseries. Staff whose children currently attend one of the University day nurseries will be able to access a care service throughout this period. The nurseries will remain open until 18 December and then close until 4 January.
As always, we will continue to keep these measures under review and will be back in touch with staff before we break for Christmas to confirm arrangements over the Christmas closed period and any changes should Birmingham move into a different local Tier. We will also let you know when the government decides on the arrangements for students returning to Universities in January and the implications for Semester 2.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment during these challenging times.
Best wishes
Internal Communications Team