[Academic] COVID-19: Home working update

[Paul McKenna]

Dear All,


Please see the email below from the Dean of Science (cc'd) regarding 
home working.


We are accelerating our move towards working from home / remotely where 
possible in Physics.  In an email earlier today, I advised all PGR 
students to work from home (UG and PGT students having already been 
instructed that all teaching and assessment will be be done remotely).  
A significant number of academics and research staff are already working 
from home, and tomorrow the Admin and IT Support Teams will be trialling 
remote and home working. If that goes well, they will continue working 
remotely until further notice.  I'm now advising that all remaining 
staff move to home/remote working and to finish up on-campus working 
tomorrow, if possible. I will be doing this myself.  If you have any 
uncertainties regarding this please speak to your line manager or 
supervisor in the first instance, and if that is not possible, please 
contact Gabrielle or me.


If you have not already done so, please discuss and agree with your line 
manager on work tasks that you will do remotely, and on arrangements for 
regular email, telephone or video-conference-based contact. Please note 
that the University now supports the Zoom video-conference software 
(login via the URL: https://strath.zoom.us/). Please also ensure that 
your contact details are up to date on Pegasus.


University buildings remain open for now, but this is subject to change. 
In preparation for this, John Gillan and I will be working out 
arrangements for emergency access for maintenance in the John Anderson 
building. Further details on this will follow in due course.


I understand the challenges everyone will face around this time and I'm 
grateful for your ongoing cooperation while we become accustomed to our 
new ways of working.


Regards,

Paul

= = = = = = = = =

Dear Science Faculty colleagues,

I realise that this is an anxious time for you all and wish to assure 
you that your wellbeing is the University’s first priority.

Following the Principal’s email from last night, many Departments are 
presently progressing a migration to home working.  Thank you for your 
support in carefully planning for this to ensure that we can continue to 
support our students whilst protecting your wellbeing and theirs.

Because we have students who live on Campus, the University will remain 
open and there is currently significant ongoing planning to ensure the 
best possible service and support for students with the minimum number 
of staff being present on Campus. Those of us who are working at home 
will continue to endeavour to provide continuity in support services and 
student learning through online, flexible learning approaches as agreed 
with the Vice Dean Academic who is a member of the University’s Academic 
Contingency Planning Team.

Please work with your Head of Department to ensure an orderly transition 
to more flexible and remote working, ensuring that you have the 
appropriate resources to enable this such as software and training in, 
for example, the use of online facilities, conference calling such as 
Zoom etc.

There is also a need to explore limited access for absolutely essential 
duties in some Departments. Home Office compliance and the crucial 
maintenance of significant lab equipment and highly sensitive materials 
will mean some limited presence on Campus is required. I will be 
liaising with Heads of Department and Professional Services leads to 
organise this in as safe a way as possible.

As you move towards greater home working, please ensure that you stay in 
close touch with your line manager/Head of Department on a frequent 
basis.  If you need any particular support, please let them know this 
just as you would if normal Campus working was ensuing.

I will continue to communicate with you in the days ahead and thank you 
all as a Faculty team for working together for our mutual benefit and 
for the benefit of our students at this very testing time.

Best regards,

Iain.

Prof Iain W Stewart MA PhD FRSE FIMA
Associate Principal & Executive Dean

Faculty of Science
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow, UK

email: i.w.stewart at strath.ac.uk <mailto:i.w.stewart at strath.ac.uk>
Tel: +44-(0)141-548-2232

The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in 
Scotland, number SC015263.

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