[Academic] Covid Protection Level 4 activity and restrictions

[Paul McKenna]

Dear All,

You will have received the Principal’s Update message earlier today that 
refers to the Level 4 restrictions that are coming into effect in 
Glasgow and surrounding areas for the next three weeks, starting from 
6pm tomorrow.

My present understanding of what this means for our Department is:

_Teaching:_ In Level 4, learning and teaching will be online with an 
exception for the delivery of critical and time-sensitive learning and 
assessment that cannot be delivered remotely or postponed.  This does 
not affect our plans because we have already moved all of our teaching, 
learning and assessment online for the rest of semester 1.

_Research:_ Only essential work should be carried out in laboratories 
and research facilities under Level 4. The University Executive Team, in 
consultation with the Scottish Government, will decide what constitutes 
essential research. This consultation is ongoing and we may not know the 
outcome before the weekend or beginning of next week. Until otherwise 
instructed, my advice is to proceed on the assumption that our 
laboratory research activities previously approved by the RRDG will 
continue, but be prepared to shut down equipment at relatively short 
notice if instructed to do so tomorrow or early next week. If you 
consider yourself that the research activity you have planned is 
non-essential, then please postpone it until the Level 4 restrictions 
are lifted.

The number of staff and PGRs in our buildings should be minimised as far 
as possible in this three week period. I therefore ask group leaders who 
are running experiments and other laboratory-based research activities 
to plan those activities in a way that minimises the number of 
researchers and support staff that are required to come in.  Needless to 
say, but any research that can be carried out remotely should be during 
this period.

I will also be liaising with line-managers of research support staff to 
reduce their numbers on campus in the next three weeks.

I will communicate any developments as soon as they are known.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Best wishes,
Paul

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Prof. Paul McKenna
Head of Department
Department of Physics, SUPA,
University of Strathclyde,
Glasgow G4 0NG
U.K.

Tel: 0141-548-3132 (secretary) / 5712 (direct)
Email: paul.mckenna at strath.ac.uk
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