Your role in keeping our community safe – all staff email sent 10 September 2020

Email issued: Thursday 10 September 2020, From: Internal Communications, Subject: Your role in keeping our community safe

Dear colleagues,

As we prepare for the new term, I know many of you are keen to know how we plan to keep campus Covid-secure as students begin to arrive.

Firstly, I wanted to reiterate that our teams have been working hard to make sure campus is Covid-secure for students and those of you who are required to spend time here. This includes clear signage, give-way systems, careful management of space requirements and plenty of hand sanitising stations. Many of you will continue to work from home to reduce the number of people on campus and all large-scale teaching activities will be conducted online.

However, with infection rates in Leeds now being closely monitored, it’s more important than ever that we remain vigilant and take every precaution to keep ourselves and the people around us safe. We recognise that some colleagues will have essential cause to be onsite at some times, and that the campus is not only a central hub but also home to many of our students.

Student representatives from Leeds University Union have therefore worked with us to draw up some guidelines which represent our responsibilities to each other as part of the University’s community. By working together we can make sure Leeds remains a safe, inspiring and fun place to study, live and work.

Thank you for your continued support and diligence.

With my best wishes

Roger Gair

University Secretary

Our shared safety commitments

Together we will keep our community safe by:

  • Washing our hands regularly and using the hand sanitising stations provided
  • Wearing face coverings in line with guidance, unless we have a legitimate reason not to
  • Keeping a safe distance from each other and following social distancing and other guidelines on campus, in halls of residence and in the city
  • Behaving responsibly, respectfully and with consideration on campus in residences and in the local community and not organising or attending gatherings which break laws or Government social distancing guidelines
  • Showing kindness and support for classmates, neighbours and colleagues, especially those who are at home, self-isolating or vulnerable
  • Self-isolating if we have Covid-19 symptoms and booking a test
  • Letting the University know if we test positive for Covid-19 and following Government and University guidance

 The University will enable us to keep each other safe by:

  • Minimising the number of people on campus by ensuring people work from home wherever possible
  • Providing lectures and other large group teaching activities online
  • Implementing social distancing, pedestrian management systems and limits on room capacities to keep campus Covid-secure
  • Making it easy to raise concerns and get support if we feel unsafe because of the behaviour of others
  • Making face coverings available to staff and students who need them
  • Enhancing the cleaning of all University buildings
  • Providing hand sanitising stations across campus
  • Hosting a Covid-19 testing centre on campus to support the NHS ‘test and trace’ approach to combatting the disease
  • Responding to changes in Government guidelines when required

In the next few days, we’ll share more information with staff and students about the process for reporting a positive Covid-19 test result.

For more information on how we’re making campus Covid-secure, watch the A Safe Environment at Leeds video and visit the updated coronavirus website

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