Semester Two

Staff have this week received communication that during Semester Two the University has an aspiration to deliver at least 33% of teaching in-person where it is safe to do so. 

This followed a joint statement by UEG/UCU following discussions on plans for the Spring Semester.

The University will maintain the arrangements outlined in the Return to campus guidance and Managers tool kit and all staff should ensure that they are familiar with this key guidance and resource.

As our plans for Semester Two progress we will provide updates to staff via email and the staff web pages.

There is additional information and resources for staff which you can access from our Semester Two webpage.

Mass testing programme students and staff

Today is the last day of the Government’s mass asymptomatic pre-Christmas testing, to enable students to travel home for Christmas.

We can now confirm that to facilitate students’ return to campus after the winter vacation period, the mass COVID Testing Centre will re-open to students on 4 January until 12 February. This date may be extended.

As before, the testing programme (for people showing no symptoms of Covid-19) on the University’s campus will use the same lateral flow testing devices (LFDs) and will be done at the Sports Centre (near Falmer House). Results will be made available within 30-45 minutes.

Detailed information will be shared with students next week and they are aware of the need to check their Sussex email and visit the Student Hub during the winter vacation.

Volunteering at Covid-19 testing centre

We would like to thank everyone who volunteered to help run the testing programme. Volunteers will be needed again to run the next round of testing. Initially it is hoped existing volunteers will be able to provide all the support needed and we will be in contact with BSMS students and Sussex staff who have already worked at the testing centre before we make a wider request for help.

If you are helping out and have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the relevant colleagues by mailing covidtesting@sussex.ac.uk and read our FAQs to see what’s involved if you are helping out.

Covid-19 dashboard and current cases

Staff can keep up to date with current infection rates within our campus community by viewing our Covid-19 reporting and information dashboard - which is being updated daily after 3pm on weekdays and data will be provided on a Monday for the previous weekend. The last dashboard this year will be on Friday 18 December and it will resume on Monday 4 January.

Christmas and New Year opening hours on campus 2020–21

A significant proportion of our students will remain on campus during the winter vacation. Although term ends today, many staff will continue to work to ensure students staying on campus have access to essential services throughout the Christmas and New Year period. These role these staff play in supporting support students is appreciated enormously by colleagues across the University.

You can see a full list of services, including shops and services, eating and drinking places, health services and banking. These opening hours for campus services and facilities cover the minimum service days from Saturday 12 December to Sunday 3 January inclusive.