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Latest UniSA updates

8th August 2022 4.36pm

All staff email from Professor David G. Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor and President

Dear Colleagues,

As you are aware we have been closely monitoring the incidences and rates of COVID-19 infection in the SA community, and are adapting our approach accordingly and as informed by public health advice.

Based on the State’s caseload and trajectory of COVID-19 infections since 25th July, please note the following adjustments to the university’s COVID-19 management measures:

  • Mask wearing is no longer a general mandatory requirement, but is strongly recommended  in all indoor shared spaces on all UniSA campuses. Please note that certain university activities and settings do still require mask wearing under ongoing public health mandates.
  • As per Academic Board’s recent determination, lectures and examinations will remain online.
  • Face to face meetings, teaching and research activities can transition as appropriate over the coming days back to being conducted in person.

As always, your understanding and cooperation in navigating the implementation of these measures is hugely appreciated.

Best regards

1st August 2022 3.57pm

All staff email from Professor David G. Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor and President

COVID-19 management update

I have recently received correspondence from the Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, providing specific updated information for the higher education sector. Professor Spurrier’s communication was in the context of an expected peak in numbers of infections by COVID-19 variants Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 in our community.

UniSA takes the safety and well-being of our staff and students most seriously, and I re-iterate our call for all staff and students to avail of full vaccination against COVID-19 infection and encourage those now eligible for a fourth vaccine dose to take it up as soon as possible. Such measures will significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisation and severe disease.

Professor Spurrier has recommended a range of other risk mitigation measures, many of which the University has already had in place for some time now, including ventilation measures, physical distancing, cleaning and hygiene measures, remote working supports and of course, voluntarily absenting oneself from the campus wherever an individual has any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, and getting tested.

Prof Spurrier’s recommendations additionally include mask wearing in shared spaces and moving to online meetings and teaching activities wherever possible.

Accordingly, acting on this health advice:

  • We are re-introducing the requirement for mask wearing in all shared indoor spaces on all UniSA campuses.
  • Wherever teaching or research activities require in person or face to face delivery, mask wearing is required.
  • Wherever teaching or research activities can be conducted online, they should be delivered online.
  • Where practical, meetings should be conducted using zoom or teams. 

These measures will be in place and under review until such time as SA case numbers significantly subside. As before, facemasks will be available for staff and students from Campus Central hubs and FM Assist.

It’s regrettable that we find ourselves having to re-adopt these precautions, but they are our best lines of defence to reduce the impact of the current variants.

As always, I ask that you look out for each other, stay well, and take care.

With best regards

25 July 2022 10.00am

All staff announcement from Professor Joanne Cys, Acting Vice-Chancellor

COVID-safe behaviours

With increasing COVID-19 case numbers across Australia and in our state, I would like to remind you about COVID-19 vaccinations and our implementation of COVID-safe behaviours.

At this time we ask all members of the University community to continue to practice physical distancing and follow hand and sneeze/cough hygiene. In addition, as we go through this period of increased COVID infections, wearing masks is strongly encouraged across all areas of the University for the protection of members of our University community, particularly if you are unable to physically distance. This is consistent with the SA Health advice that mask-wearing is an effective method for the reduction of transmission of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. Please note that masks are still required in some areas, such as University health-related settings.

For those who are eligible we also strongly encourage booster COVID and winter vaccinations and I would like to remind you that these can be arranged during work time.

Remember, if you are feeling unwell and are displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19, even if the symptoms are mild, you should not attend work or other public places including schools and university campuses. Please notify your line manager/supervisor and remain at home while you wait for your test results.

Information for staff, including our reporting requirements for close contacts and positive cases and support resources, is available on our COVID-19 Support for Staff website.

The University will continue to monitor the current situation and health advice and will issue updates if required.

14 April 2022 12.15pm

All staff email from Professor David G. Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor and President

Dear colleagues

With State directives governing the use of masks changing at 12:01 am Friday (tomorrow) morning, I write to confirm that the wearing of masks in (general) indoor shared spaces on our campuses will no longer be mandatory once the directive has ceased.

Please note that mask wearing will still be mandatory in certain university settings, predominantly in health service domains, until further notice. Local area notifications will provide advice in such circumstances.

Current public health advice is that mask wearing is an effective method for the reduction of transmission of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses (particularly as we enter flu season) and I do encourage you to consider wearing one for your protection and the protection of others. Those choosing to do so should be supported and made fully comfortable to enact their choice. Please remember that respect is a two-way street, and individual choices around masking – or not – in non-mandatory settings should be recognised and accepted.

As always, if you are feeling unwell, please seek medical advice or attention and do not present on campus.

Look after yourselves and one another, and do enjoy the forthcoming Easter break.

Best regards

07 February 2022 5.00pm

All student email from Professor David G. Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor and President

As we continue to be affected by COVID-19 I wanted to provide you with an update on theUniversity’s operations for the upcoming study and research periods.

Our priority, as always, is to deliver high-quality on-campus experiences and a safe andinclusive working environment for us all. Given South Australia’s diminishing case load andhigh vaccination rates, I’m pleased we can now begin reducing some of the existingrestrictions, and ask that you familiarise yourself with the following arrangements.

Teaching, Learning and Research Activities

  • Lectures will remain in online delivery mode, and where possible all other teaching,learning and research activities (e.g. tutorials, workshops, studios, practicals) will beconducted in ‘COVID-safe’ face-to-face on-campus delivery modes.
  • Your course coordinators will confirm the teaching arrangements with you via email thisweek – please regularly check your myUniSA email and learnonline for the latest updates.
  • Please also monitor your myUniSA email for news about orientation activities, andupcoming opportunities to engage and connect with fellow students and UniSA’sservices.

Campus Access and Protocols

  • COVID-19 management protocols will be in effect, however UniSA ID swipe cardaccess will no longer be required to enter common facilities.
  • We encourage you to ‘check in’ using the SafeZone app.
  • All students, staff and visitors will still be required to wear facemasks in all indoor communal university settings – including all library, laboratory, teaching, learning andresearch facilities, indoor public areas, shared or open plan office, meeting oradministrative areas.
  • Facemasks (Detmold level 3 surgical grade) are available for all staff and students from Campus Central and FM Assist.
  • We will continue to manage COVID-19 in accordance with all applicable healthregulations and advice, and, as always, we will continue to adapt to the externalenvironment as appropriate.
  • If you feel unwell, please do not come on-campus. Please do look after yourselves,and please do ensure you are fully vaccinated.
  • If you have any questions, please visit our FAQs or contact Campus Central.

On behalf of all UniSA staff, we look forward to seeing you on campus soon.

Best regards,

04 February 2022 1:08pm

All staff email from Professor David G. Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor and President

Dear colleagues,

It’s now a little over two years since our national borders first closed in an attempt to quell Covid-19 transmission, and we are still writing emails about how best to manage our operations in the shadow of the virus – would that this was otherwise! This communication is, thankfully, one of reducing restriction rather than prescribing additional disruption to how we interact with one another.

Our priority, as always, is to deliver high-quality on-campus experiences for our students and a safe and inclusive working environment for us all – where we can connect to one another as colleagues and as a community. As you’re aware, we had previously signalled that certain flexible working arrangements and a preference for online provision of education (teaching, learning and research) would be in effect until March 31st.

We are very cognisant of the impact such sustained measures would have on commencing and returning domestic and international students and their UniSA experience, particularly as we approach Orientation. Accordingly, and coincident with SA’s diminishing case load, high vaccination rates, and the return to schooling now underway for primary and secondary levels, we are at a point where we can revise these provisions, with the following ‘return to campus’ measures.

From Monday 14th February, our flexible work provision is being adjusted to up to 40%.

Our expectation is that from Monday 14th February, staff will physically present for work, on campus, for at least 60% of their working hours. Where you can carry out your duties remotely or from home, have the appropriate line management approvals in place, and should you choose to do so, you will still have the flexibility to work remotely, for up to 40% of your working hours. In all instances, you should discuss your personal circumstances with your line manager.

Lectures will remain in online delivery mode, with all other teaching, learning and research activities transitioning back to our previously established ‘Covid-safe’ face-to-face on-campus delivery modes, ready for the commencement of SP2 (or as soon as practicable if temporary arrangements up to 31st March have already been formalised and communicated to student cohorts).

Students will be advised of any applicable changes through separate communication, coordinated by SAS and informed by each Academic Unit.

Public events may now be held on campus in line with approved Covid-19 management plans.

Where you are required to carry out your duties from an on-campus location, all applicable Covid-19 management protocols will be in effect. UniSA ID swipe card access will no longer be required to enter common facilities, but the use of the SafeZone app is still encouraged.

All staff, students and visitors will still be required to wear facemasks in all indoor communal university settings – including all indoor public, shared or open plan office or administrative areas, meeting, library, laboratory, teaching, learning and research facilities. Facemasks (Detmold level 3 surgical grade) will continue to be made available for all staff and students from Campus Central hubs and FM Assist.

These changes are commensurate with our commitment to recognising the endemic nature of the virus, mirroring those enacted in the wider general community, and are central to us normalising our reaction to its occurrence in our population. We will continue to manage Covid-19 in accordance with all applicable health regulations and advice, and as we would any other communicable illness that may occur within a population as large and diverse as the university community.

These arrangements are expected to be in place until state-wide requirements are further significantly modified, and, as always, we will continue to adapt to the external environment as appropriate. It is also my intent that this new (up to 40% remote) level of workplace flexibility arrangements can be more formally assessed and formulated into an ongoing policy position within the University.

Remember, if you feel unwell, you should not present for work on-campus. Please do look after yourselves and one another, and please do ensure you are fully vaccinated. Thank you once again for your understanding and patience as we navigate these changing times.

With best regards,

12 January 2022 9:00am

All student email from Professor David G. Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor and President

Dear students

Welcome to those of you who are starting your UniSA journey, and welcome back to those of you continuing your studies in 2022.

I’d rather hoped I wouldn’t have to write many more emails on the topic of Covid-19 this year but it seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. What we have seen epidemiologically iscertainly encouraging. Vaccination is clearly suppressing the severity and duration of illness for those displaying symptoms, affording protection and minimising the hospitalisation risk for those who are fully jabbed – which is good – and underpins the importance of vaccination for us all.

Of course, given that we have seen a shift in the impact of Covid-19 societally since borders reopened and with increasing case numbers, it’s appropriate that we would clarify how the University is approaching operations in the coming weeks.

We are moving to recognise the endemic nature of the virus and to normalise our reaction to its occurrence in our population. We will manage Covid-19 in accordance with all applicable health regulations and advice, and as we would any other communicable illness that may occur within a population as large and diverse as the University community.

The following arrangements are in effect until close of business on 31st March 2022.

  • The University remains open for business for our teaching, research, support and administrative functions.
  • All lectures will be delivered online. Where practicums and tutorials or other teaching, learning or research activities can be delivered online, this will also be facilitated.
  • Where specific teaching, learning or research activities require face-to-face delivery, they will be delivered face-to-face in accordance with all applicable Covid-19 management protocols.
  • Student placements will be managed in accordance with the applicable regulations of the placement partner.

Effective immediately and until further notice, all staff, students and visitors will be required to wear facemasks in all University settings – including all public, shared office or administration, meeting, library, laboratory, teaching, learning and research facilities. This approach will mitigate ‘close contact’ risk for our entire community.

If your studies are expected to be impacted by a positive Covid-19 test result or the need to self-isolate, please inform your Course Coordinator (or supervisor if you are a HDR student). Alternatively you can contact Campus Central. The supports and consideration ordinarily afforded in any occurrence of personal illness will apply. In any instance where a positive case is known to have been on campus in our facilities, the appropriate sanitisation measures will be applied.

These measures will be continually reviewed as the situation evolves, and further advice will be forthcoming. Thank you for remaining flexible, I’m hopeful that we are turning the corner on this one and that we will return to conducting business as usual on campus in the short term.

As always, please refer to the UniSA Covid-19 Website for up-to-date information, including Student FAQs.

Best regards,

11 January 2022 2:10pm

All staff email from Professor David G. Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor and President

Dear Colleagues

Welcome back and happy 2022!

I do hope that you managed to get some quality downtime over the holiday break. I’d also rather hoped I wouldn’t have to write many more emails on the topic of Covid-19 this year but it seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. What we have seen epidemiologically is certainly encouraging. Vaccination is clearly suppressing the severity and duration of illness for those displaying symptoms, affording protection and minimising the hospitalisation risk for those who are fully jabbed – which is good – and underpins the importance of vaccination for us all.

Of course, given that we have seen a shift in the impact of Covid-19 societally since borders reopened and with increasing case numbers, it’s appropriate that we would clarify how the University is approaching business continuity and operations in the coming weeks.

Firstly, I want to emphasise that we will no longer be ‘reacting’ to Covid-19 exposure or cases as exceptional events – we are moving to recognise the endemic nature of the virus and to normalise our reaction to its occurrence in our population. We will manage Covid-19 in accordance with all applicable health regulations and advice, and as we would any other communicable illness that may occur within a population as large and diverse as the University community.

The following arrangement are in effect until close of business on 31st March 2022.

During this period:

The University remains open for business for our teaching, research, support and administrative functions. Where you can carry out your duties remotely or from home, have the appropriate line management approvals in place and should you choose to do so, you have the flexibility to work remotely. Where you are required to carry out your duties from an on-campus location, all applicable Covid-19 management protocols will be in effect.

  • All lectures will be delivered online. Where practicums and tutorials or other teaching, learning or research activities can be delivered online, this should also be facilitated.
  • Where specific teaching, learning or research activities require face-to-face delivery, they will be delivered face-to-face in accordance with all applicable Covid-19 management protocols.
  • Student placements will be managed in accordance with the applicable regulations of the placement partner.

From close of business tonight and until further notice, facemasks will be mandatory for all attendees of all on-campus activities unless medically exempted.

  • All staff, students and visitors will be required to wear facemasks in all University settings – including all public, shared office or administration, meeting, library, laboratory, teaching, learning and research facilities. This approach will mitigate ‘close contact’ risk for our entire community.

In terms of other elements of day-to-day Covid-19 management, I believe it is important for us to recognise and collectively normalise the reality of living with Covid in our community in as safe, pragmatic and trust-based way as possible and as such, the following considerations apply.

  • You do not need to book leave to get a Covid-19 vaccination or booster, just inform your line manager, who will be as accommodating as possible.
  • Similarly, you do not need to book leave if you need to get tested for Covid-19 . Again, please inform your line manager, who will be as accommodating as possible.
  • If you are deemed a close contact and subject to an isolation order, please follow the Reporting Protocol. You should be able to continue to work remotely during the applicable period.
  • Should you test positive for Covid-19, we also ask that you follow the Reporting Protocol as soon as practicable to ensure your line manager is informed and we can manage any business continuity considerations as we would with any instance of personal illness.
    • You should not attend physically at work for 14 days after returning a positive Covid-19 test result.
  • If you are Covid-19 positive and symptomatic, or even if you are Covid-19 positive and asymptomatic, during the applicable isolation period you are fully entitled to avail of sick leave.
  • If you choose not to avail of sick leave while subject to an isolation period and would rather wish to work remotely, you can continue do that.
  • If you are caring for someone who is Covid-19 positive, you can avail of carer’s leave or family responsibility leave – that’s what those provisions are there for.

From tomorrow, the University will no longer be enacting internal ‘contact tracing’ nor will we maintain live listings of exposure sites where Covid-19 positive cases may have attended. In any instance where a positive case is known to have been on campus in our facilities, the appropriate sanitisation measures will be applied.

Students should inform their Course Coordinators directly (and HDR students their supervisor(s)) if they have returned a positive Covid-19 test result or if they are required to self-isolate by virtue of having been deemed a close contact, and again the supports and consideration ordinarily afforded in any occurrence of personal illness will apply.

Collectively, these measures afford us a risk minimisation framework for dealing with endemic Covid-19 in our community. The approach is practical and equitable and mirrors that enacted in the wider general community. These measures will be continually reviewed and as we approach SP2 Census Date (31st March 2022) further advice will be forthcoming.

Thank you for your continued forbearance and patience, I’m hopeful that we are turning the corner on this one and that we will return to conducting business as usual on campus in the short term.

Best regards

Previous communications

2021

2020

Stay updated

Ensure you stay updated with the University’s response to the novel coronavirus by doing the following:

  1. Check your emails regularly – this is the University’s main source of communication.
  2. Download the UniSA App and turn on your push notifications! (students only)
  3. Refer to this page regularly to keep up to date on any changes and developments.
  4. Follow the University’s social media pages for key updates.

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Contact us

Australian students

Phone: +61 8 8302 2376
Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

International students

Phone: +61 8 9627 4854
Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/international/enquiry

For further information please visit unisa.edu.au/study
Information correct at the time of publication. CRICOS provider number 00121B.
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