Update from College Secretary to staff and students

26 August 2020

Dear students and colleagues

With just over a month to go before our teaching term starts, we will bring you regular updates of key developments as our COVID-19 plans progress. A huge amount of preparation has taken place and our plans are under constant review, evaluation and re-evaluation, as the nature of the pandemic changes and government guidelines adjusted accordingly.

Student spaces

Extra social spaces for students to use for brief periods during the day before or after lectures and other teaching events, for example to eat lunch, are being created for the next academic year. Working together, the Students’ Union, the Graduate Students’ Union and College are preparing the logistics for these spaces.

It is planned that they will be bookable in advance to ensure no overcrowding; students’ details will be logged to assist with contact tracing should the need arise; and the spaces will be used by ‘pods’ of students in the same course/School to minimise the risk of virus transmission through widespread and prolonged contact.

Student ambassadors will be present to check bookings and ensure that the areas are vacated in time for the next booking and to allow for cleaning to take place. All of this is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students.

Face coverings & supplies

As emailed last week, face coverings are now mandatory for all teaching and learning events for all students, in all the Libraries and in internal public spaces on campus. Teaching staff have been asked to wear visors where possible instead of face coverings while teaching in order to reduce the impact on communication. There are exceptions for not wearing face coverings due to health reasons which can be found here.

Estates and Facilities are in contact with Schools/Units in relation to face coverings for staff and will be supplying individual hand sanitiser bottles and refill stations throughout the campus for staff and students alike. The Students' Union shop in House 6 will be selling face coverings at cost price.

Video for international students

The Vice-President for Global Relations, Professor Juliette Hussey features in the latest video in the ‘Working towards a safe reopening in September’ video series in which she outlines what international students arriving in Ireland need to do pre-departure, the greet and transfer service from the airport to their accommodation, what restricted movement for 14 days involves, and how Trinity is here to provide support for these students.

For more information and updates, please see our dedicated COVID-19 webpage at www.tcd.ie/about/coronavirus.

Stay safe. Stay well.

Bígí slán agus sábháilte.

Kind regards John Coman
Secretary to the College