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10 September 2021

Dear students and colleagues

There was a wonderful buzz on campus this week with 2nd year students participating in orientation events, the reopening of indoor dining outlets, the Pav and Front Gate to students and staff. As we look forward to welcoming more students on campus next Monday when teaching for semester 1 starts (except for 1st year undergraduates who start on 27 September), we would like to remind you of the following:

Semester 1

We are adopting a two-phased approach, starting out cautiously in the first half of the new semester. This will mean that there are limits to in-person learning. Each School has worked out what is possible within the social distancing limits. Library and study spaces will remain socially distanced, bookable and time limited. Students will be free to come and go on campus. We aim to relax restrictions further after reading week on 01 November. You can find out more information in the Provost’s ‘Return to Campus’ document here.

Indoor teaching activities – face coverings

The wearing of face coverings for indoor teaching activities by students is mandatory under Government Public Health measures and is a requirement at Trinity. Any exception to not wearing a face covering for medical reasons will need to be medically verified. 

Other areas that require face coverings are the Library, study spaces, dedicated research space and indoor public areas. Thank you for your ongoing support in wearing a face covering to ensure the health and safety of all the Trinity Community.

Free face coverings for students

The good news is that the HSE will be providing Trinity with disposable 3-ply surgical masks with an allocation of one box per student. We will let you know when they have been delivered and how you can collect them.

Shared offices

Shared office space will operate at 2m social distancing with mandatory mask-wearing. People should continue to wear masks while moving around indoors. We cannot ask or put pressure on an individual to self-declare that they are vaccinated but if it can be determined that all the occupants are vaccinated through voluntary self declaration, then the need for wearing masks in shared offices can be removed.

Avoid congregations

Please don’t congregate in groups, either outside or inside, for example outside teaching venues, the Library, the Buttery, or if you have had a laboratory session, and please disperse as quickly as possible after teaching sessions.

Vaccinations

All members of the Trinity Community are encouraged to participate in the vaccination programme to help ensure that we have a safe return to campus. For more information, please see here.

UniCoV project – safeguarding our campuses

Students and staff are invited to participate in the UniCoV project. This pilot surveillance study assists in the detection of increased levels of COVID-19 across higher education institutes with the aim of facilitating the safe and sustainable re-opening of campuses. Please see more information here

Stay vigilant!

As always, please continue to take all preventative measures on campus and at home to stop the spread of the virus to keep everyone safe. These include hand washing, cough etiquette, face coverings and physical distancing. Thank you.

Stay safe. Stay well. Bígí slán agus sábháilte.

Kind regards,

John Coman, Secretary to the College
Seán Ó Comáin, Rúnaí an Choláiste

Orla Cunningham, Interim Chief Operating Officer
Orla Cunningham, An Príomhoifigeach Oibriúcháin Eatramhach