30 December 2020
Dear staff and students
IMPLICATIONS OF LEVEL 3 FOR SU
We do not usually communicate with the Stellenbosch University (SU) community during the year-end holidays, but it is necessary to unpack the implications of the new COVID-19 regulations announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa (click here for the full text of his address) on Monday night (28 Dec 2020).
We have taken a close look at the regulations (click here), and are confident that we have the necessary protocols in place to safely proceed with our planned activities, particularly:
- the resumption of University activities on 4 January 2021, with some staff members still working from home as per specific arrangements made with their line managers;
- the phased resumption of academic activities on our various campuses as per the University Almanac (click here); and
- A4 assessments scheduled for the period 18 January to 5 February 2021, including limited residence accommodation (click here for detailed information in this regard, as previously communicated).
This would hold true even if the current Level 3 regulations are extended beyond their termination date of 15 January 2021.
Students in our Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) starting with clinical rotations during the first and second weeks of January 2021 will resume their training as communicated previously, but now within the protocols for Level 3.
Click here for information on returning to Tygerberg campus residences, bearing in mind that students will be required to stagger their return according to priorities related to clinical training in order for the University to comply with Level 3 regulations.
Students who do not have to resume their studies on the Tygerberg campus yet or who live close enough to campus to commute should consider not returning to their residences.
FMHS staff and students will be informed of any changes in existing arrangements should any arise.
All staff, students and visitors to any of our campuses will be expected to comply with COVID-19 protocols, including the wearing of a face mask, physical distancing, hand sanitising and limits on the number of persons in a confined space. Before coming to campus (excluding Tygerberg campus where the SU Daily Monitoring App is being used), they should use the Higher Health Check App, which can be accessed in the following ways:
Please visit our dedicated COVID-19 page (click here) on the SU website for comprehensive information.
Best wishes for the rest of the holidays, and let us all remain vigilant and do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Prof Stan du Plessis
Chief Operating Officer
