To: All students    From: coronavirus.information@durham.ac.uk     Subject: Covid-19 Update 07.05.2020     To be issued: Thursday 7 May 2020, mid-morning   

Dear student,

This email contains important updates on Covid-19. Please take the time to read it carefully.  

Latest decisions and updates from Durham University  · Government update · No detriment policy · Serious Adverse Circumstances and Examination Deferral Process · Collection of belongings · Postgraduate research

Further details:  

Government update

In the coming days, we are anticipating that the government will lay out plans to ease the lockdown in the UK. Our response to Covid-19 will continue to be guided by government advice and next week we will carefully consider the implications that any updated advice may have on our colleagues and students.

In the coming weeks, we will begin to layout our own plans for the weeks and months ahead, and we will continue to update you regularly.

For now, please continue to follow government advice and do not return to University buildings unless you have been given permission to do so.

No detriment policy

Yesterday we provided an update on our no detriment policy, including information for Foundation programme, Level 1 and Erasmus students.

The update is available in full on our website( https://www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/studentcomms/ ).

Serious Adverse Circumstances and Examination Deferral Process

Yesterday we confirmed that the links to the new Serious Adverse Circumstances (SACs) and exam deferral forms are now live. We also provided detailed guidance and supporting information which is available on our SACs and Covid-19 webpages( https://www.dur.ac.uk/student.registry/assessment/covid19/sacs/ ).

If you have any questions about the forms, please contact your College in the first instance using the contact details on our website( https://www.dur.ac.uk/colleges.se.office/studentsupport/ ).

Collection of belongings

With online teaching continuing throughout Easter term, we appreciate that you may wish to return to College accommodation to collect your belongings.

The safety and wellbeing of our whole University community are our highest priority and we are currently working on a plan for the orderly collection of belongings when it is possible to do so.

We will keep you informed as these plans develop. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding your belongings, please contact your College in the first instance.

Postgraduate research

We are working on plans for accessing materials in offices and opening laboratories for research and we ask for your patience whilst systems are developed to ensure that we have a phased, safe return to on-site research operations.

We will update you as these plans are finalised but for now, please do not return to University buildings unless you have been advised to do so.

Discussions regarding potential financial support for postgraduate research students continue and we will update you as plans are finalised.

Conclusion   

We appreciate that today’s update may prompt questions for many of you. Our Covid-19 Incident Control Centre continues to manage your enquiries very efficiently and effectively and we encourage you to contact coronavirus.information@durham.ac.uk or read the FAQs on our Covid-19 webpages.

As we look to the long weekend, we ask that you continue to follow government guidance wherever you are and that you continue to take care of yourselves.

Best wishes,    

Claire O’Malley      Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global)     

All Covid-19 email updates issued to staff and students are available online at: durham.ac.uk/coronavirus