returning after lockdown - how are unis preparing?

[nextslideplease]

So when (if) lockdown is lifted mid/end February, how is your university preparing for that?

Will we see a similar chaotic situation to September and October with virus outbreaks in halls?

Will teaching be online or f2f until the summer? (and potentially beyond)?

What about practical courses such as medicine, teaching and veterinary science?

About to start working in a university (practical course) and although my start will be online, I have no idea if my contract (9 months) will be online for the full duration (I hope so, I like WFH to be honest).

What is happening elsewhere as I'd be keen to compare?

[Boysarebackintown]

My dc is back in his accommodation everything online and no news on how long this will go on for.

[GCAcademic]

We have been told we will be back in the classroom the minute the government gives the OK (when that might be is anyone's guess: the 13th Feb, no doubt). Obviously, some of the students will come back and others won't, so the teaching load will double as we'll have to teach a single module group f2f plus online.

I don't think it will be like October. A lot of students are already back, and there are low numbers of cases (on my campus, anyway), and some courses may go back before others, so it will be a much more staggered return to campus than last autumn. A lot of universities also have lateral flow testing set up for those arriving on campus, which, while imperfect, is better than what we had in October.

[Iwillneverbesatisfied]

@GCAcademic is that every member of staff at your uni or just practical teaching staff? What about professional services staff?

[titchy]

We're assuming the rest of the year will be on-line. Though we're London and even if lockdown is eased we'd prob still be tier 4.

Planning for both face to face and online come September!

[Phphion]

We are expecting to return to teaching as we were before the lockdown (so mainly lectures online, seminars in person or online for people who can't or won't come in person, but that varies by department) as soon as we are allowed.

There is some talk of a slightly staggered return over 3 weeks or so to try to prevent all the students coming back at once and overwhelming the testing facilities.

As before, all staff (both academic and PS) should come in only when it is necessary for them to do so to conduct a particular part of their job and leave as soon they have finished it.

[murmuration]

I've been told to expect my classes online all semester! Although I do have rooms booked from March, but that was from before the lockdown was announced. I think the only thing we're working to get back in person is lab-based things (the ones that aren't already going ahead as essential training), although perhaps some tutorials/seminars are planning to? I'm in sciences, so they're not worried about student having zero F2F contact (when allowed) because there will be the labs, so there isn't a strong push to get smaller seminars in person.

[GCAcademic]

[quote Iwillneverbesatisfied]@GCAcademic is that every member of staff at your uni or just practical teaching staff? What about professional services staff?[/quote]
Its teaching staff, whatever the subject. I'm pretty sure the PS staff will be told to work from home, as was the case in the autumn.

[Poppingnostopping]

Obviously, some of the students will come back and others won't, so the teaching load will double as we'll have to teach a single module group f2f plus online I hope that's not the case, I'm pretty sure we will do what we did last time which is to put one session online, one session on campus and allow students to attend either, which worked very well.

I'm sure our PS staff will be at home for this term at least, even if there's a small amount of teaching on campus (which I'm not feeling will happen this term).

Many of our students are desperate to get back onto campus, I was surprised how many 2nd and 3rd years turned up to our uni and are all living locally in Jan, from mumsnetters I got the impression they all would stay with their parents rather than live in their rooms, but I think that's a less tempting option for students past the first year who already have friends/shared houses and seem to be happy to live in them rather than stay home. A good amount have stayed home though, but I just thought they all would! First years I don't blame them if they don't come back, there just isn't the way to make friends and feel part of things from scratch and their experience this year is just so far short of what they should have had. Not our fault of course, but sad for them.

[Poppingnostopping]

What I meant was we will divide up the number of seminars we are doing online, then substitute some of those for campus sessions. We are not teaching more. If anything, online teaching has been compressed into larger groups, which I don't like but I understand. Teaching online is so tiring and less rewarding I find anyway.

[purpleleotard]

Anecdotally, I have heard that my local university is planning to restart face to face lectures / tutorials in September 2022.

[GCAcademic]

First years I don't blame them if they don't come back

Loads of them are back here. One of my first year tutees told me that 12 out of 14 students in his flat had come back to campus. This is even though the university was offering to not charge students for unused accommodation.

[Poppingnostopping]

This is what I thought was strange. I think poor parents perhaps underestimated how much their children wanted to stay home. I'm sure some do, but they seem to prefer taking their chances and getting out there, which in some ways is quite admirable- making their fun and social life out of what little remains.

[Deianira]

My university has already announced that it will stay online for the whole term - they start teaching earlier than some, so are already a couple of weeks into term, and did not want to be suddenly encouraging everything to change and all the students to move around for what might be only a couple of weeks. I much prefer this approach, as having a clear plan makes this term so much easier than all the changes in plans last term!

[nextslideplease]

I am about to start a professional services role in a veterinary school, hence why I'm asking. I'm not sure how long I'd be WFH for and no one can really tell me. My new manager thinks its unlikely I'll be in the office before the autumn but it depends on the tiers. My job title has 'online' in it anyway! Which unis do you all work at? i'm in Scotland.

[Poppingnostopping]

@Deianira we are also a few weeks into term, start very quickly in New Year so that's why I don't think we will come back in person, not sure what is happening in Scotland though.