[Academic] Covid Protection Level 4 activity and restrictions

[Paul McKenna]

Dear All,

A quick update regarding laboratory research activity during Level 4 
restrictions.

Late on Friday the University received additional guidance from the 
Scottish Government on essential work permitted in laboratories and 
research facilities in areas subject to protection Level 4. Following 
this, over the weekend the Faculty and departments received requests to 
submit additional detail and justification for keeping essential 
research activities running over the next three weeks, which we have 
done earlier today. These documents are being reviewed tonight and we 
expect to get a response from the University Executive Team either late 
tonight or early tomorrow.

I'll be in touch again as soon as I know, but for now and until we're 
told otherwise, I'm assuming that we can carry on with essential 
research activities previously approved through RRDG. Staff should be 
prepared to shut down equipment at relatively short notice if instructed 
to do so tomorrow. Please also minimise the number of researchers coming 
in to campus. Members of admin staff and a many of our technical staff 
will be working from home during Level 4.

Best wishes,

Paul



On 19/11/2020 18:44, Paul McKenna wrote:
>
> 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
>
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------
> 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
> ----------------------------------------------

-- 
----------------------------------------------
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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