From Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Liz Mossop
I would like to thank you for such a positive return to campus last week. We know lots of things feel different but it is wonderful to be back and to see you on campus as well as online. So many of you have said how much you have missed studying and seeing your tutors and friends so it is good to be getting underway again. The new processes do take a bit of getting used to – remembering to sanitise your desk at the start of a session is tricky – but I have seen some good examples of students and staff reminding and supporting each other. Please do remember that if you are queuing for a session (which we all should try to avoid and we have put in place longer 15-minute changeover times) but if it happens you should do this socially distanced and wearing a face covering, even if it is an outdoor queue.
When we wrote out to applicants and continuing students over the summer we explained that our “blended” approach to delivering our programmes, with a mixture of face-to-face and online teaching, might have to be adjusted in response to changes in advice from the Government about measures required to reduce the risks of increased Covid-19 infection rates.
On some courses we have already taken action. Certain modules have already have moved online, for example, if a teaching bubble is self-isolating. This approach to blended learning – where the balance of online and face-to-face provision flexes and changes depending on circumstances and health and safety needs – is an essential part of our approach for this academic year both at subject level and across the University, as we described earlier this summer to you all. If your modules have changed you will have been made aware of the change via communications from your school or department. We will continue to keep you up to date as the term progresses.
As you will be aware, from the media and the email that we circulated last week, the new three tier alert system announced by the Government last week (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-levels-what-you-need-to-know) is now in place and may have an impact on how we can deliver our programmes more generally. I wanted to highlight this to you in advance of any possible changes in Lincoln and Lincolnshire.
Lincoln is currently in Tier 1 (Medium), which has an impact on households and social activities but no impact on our face-to-face teaching arrangements. If Lincoln moves to Tier 2 (High), we will take advice from the local Public Health team who may ask that we move some face-to-face teaching for certain subjects online. If Lincoln moves to Tier 3 (Very High) we will again take advice from the Public Health team but it is likely that much of our teaching will move online apart from essential face-to-face sessions necessary for professional practice learning on medicine and other healthcare programmes where students wear medical standard PPE.
If we find ourselves in the position where Lincoln is moving between tiers (both up and down) we will take great care to communicate what is happening and how your timetable will change to reflect where your teaching is taking place. As you will have noted, current timetables are clearly colour coded and labelled so that you know when you need to be on campus and when sessions are being delivered online. If a tier change is announced by Government and it has an impact on how we can deliver our programmes, the University will email you as soon as possible asking you to look out for an update email from your school or department, which will contain the details of the impact on your programme. Shortly after this, your timetable will be updated. Announcements will also be released through Blackboard asking you to check your timetable.
I hope the tier status of Lincoln and Lincolnshire does not need to change and we will not need to implement the changes I have noted. We do, however, all have to be ready to implement the restrictions that may be needed to control the spread of Covid-19, so please continue to look after yourselves, each other and the whole University and Lincoln community by washing your hands, covering your face and keeping properly socially distanced from people who do not live in the same household as you. As ever, please check your emails and Blackboard announcements regularly so that you are up to date.
With all best wishes,
Professor Liz Mossop
Deputy Vice Chancellor
University of Lincoln