As outlined last Thursday, we have started work on supporting staff back to campus in line with the easing of lockdown measures. 

Underpinning this work, we have developed 12 Principles which we have published online and which will frame our approach throughout all phases of the recovery work. 

These outline the broad range of measures we are taking and will unify efforts across the organisation to resume certain activities on campus.  

We will publish more detailed guidance later this week, including support for staff, students, researchers, line managers, and those continuing to work remotely.  

Return to Campus - Principles  

  1. We will put health and safety first, addressing both physical and mental wellbeing. 
  2. We will do everything we can to support the resumption of academic activities, giving overall priority to teaching but also addressing research and non-academic aspects of the student experience. 
  3. We recognise that the return to campus will be gradual and may need to be changed at various stages depending on the advice from government and public health authorities. 
  4. We will support staff and students in adapting to new ways of working; everyone will undertake an induction before coming onto campus and will be required to abide by the University-wide rules. 
  5. Home working will continue to be the default position for many staff (with on campus attendance for specific purposes); we will provide staff who are home working with practical advice and support. 
  6. We will issue guidance to heads of academic and services units, and require line managers to take local responsibility for implementing University-wide rules.
  7. We will make appropriate use of risk assessments, working to a standard format.
  8. We will undertake thorough health & safety and maintenance checks on all facilities before reopening. 
  9. We will implement a range of other health and safety measures to help keep individuals safe.  These will include:
    • Making specialist PPE available where risk assessments identify a need
    • Installing hand sanitiser dispensers across campus
    • Issuing reusable face coverings to all staff and students, and encouraging their use in areas where physical distancing is difficult
    • Putting in place a system to check the temperature of individuals on campus
    • Managing the flow of people around the campus through clear, consistent signage, one-way systems and by controlling the number of people in each building and space
    • Instituting a comprehensive, enhanced cleaning regime
    • Adhering to government and public health rules relation to physical distancing. 
  10. We will take account of the needs of those who are vulnerable due, for example, to health conditions. 
  11. We will seek to minimise the need for staff to use public transport at peak times through a range of measures.
  12. We will place a high premium on communication – we will be open and transparent with staff and students, and will work constructively with the campus trade unions. 

Information about restricted access to campus 

At the current time we can only facilitate staff coming onto campus for essential work reasons. These are primarily for matters related to COVID-19 research, to collect necessary items to assist online teaching for the new semester, and exceptionally to allow staff to collect equipment absolutely necessary for long-term working from home. We can also support staff and students returning to other countries or leaving the university who need to visit their offices to clear personal equipment and return items.  

In the future, we aim to offer wider access to campus to collect other items from offices. This will be managed in partnership with Colleges/Schools/RIs on a building by building basis. We need to bring staff out of furlough to support this. For these non-essential or noncritical matters, please allow two weeks’ notice to allow staff resources to be put in place. Such request should be submitted by Head of School Administration and Head of Research Institute Administration. We will issue specific further guidance in the next few days.

If you have a genuine need for access, you must first receive approval from your Director/Head of School via email. Once this has been granted, forward the email to security-help@glasgow.ac.uk with details of your access requirement, and providing 3 day's advanced notice.  

Before arrival and upon departure you must call 0141 330 4282 so that they can advise you of any specific arrangements for accessing the space and update the University fire safety log accordingly. 

First published: 2 June 2020

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Coronavirus: information for students & staff