AUT at Alert Level 2
Below is a message from the Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack, sent on Friday 5 March at 5:15pm:
Kia ora koutou,
First, I want to acknowledge those who were affected by the earlier earthquakes and tsunami warnings. Our thoughts have been with you.
This afternoon, the Prime Minister announced that Auckland will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 at 6.00am on Sunday 7 March. The rest of New Zealand will move to Alert Level 1. At the end of the week, Cabinet will review the move to Alert Level 1 for Auckland.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back on campus. Teaching and learning, for most of our students, will be face-to-face from Monday 8 March. For any courses that are to continue with online delivery, Schools will notify students directly. Timetables and updates will be available on Blackboard, with communications to students to go out this evening.
Most services and facilities will be available on campus, with the necessary precautions in place. We need to adhere to public health requirements, particularly physical distancing of one metre indoors wherever possible. If physical distancing isn’t possible, we recommend that you wear a face covering or mask, and this is compulsory on the AUT shuttle.
We are also required by Government to maintain our own record of people on campus for contact tracing (separate to the NZ COVID Tracer app), so staff and students must check-in using the AUT app.
At Alert Level 2 some flexibility in work arrangements may be allowed, with everyone back on campus at Level 1.
I appreciate that the timing of the Prime Minister’s announcement coming late today will mean weekend work again for some. I regret this and thank you in advance for your perseverance.
Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who has kept us operating and connected with our students during this week of lockdown. Let’s stay focused on delivering a great student experience as Semester One begins on campus - and continue to be supportive of one another.
Kia kaha,
Derek McCormack
Vice-Chancellor
Auckland University of Technology (AUT)