Infomail from the Presidium: Update on December 2020/January 2021 regulations

Dear students, dear staff,

Just a few days ago, we sent you our preliminary assessment on the 2020/2021 winter semester along with the prognosis for the new year. Since then, however, the infection rate in Thuringia has changed, illustrating how dynamic the situation is developing and how seriously we need to take it. In order to slow the increase in the number of new cases, the German Chancellor and the federal state governments adopted strict infection prevention measures on 13 December 2020 and we, as a university, also wish to address the situation.

The effective Corona regulation of the Free State of Thuringia (as of Dec 15, 2020) can be be found at: http://corona.thueringen.de/verordnungen (in German only)

This e-mail is intended to inform you of the measures that the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Board of Governance is enacting based on this decision and how this will affect your presence and work at the university.

Complete switch to digital teaching from Dec 16, 2020 – Jan 15, 2021

The digital teaching phase will begin on 16 December 2020, three days earlier than previously announced. Essentially no in-person courses may take place at the university during the digital teaching phase, which will continue until 15 January 2021. Each faculty is responsible for making decisions on any exceptions or individual cases where in-person attendance is necessary. Group work is excluded from these exemptions and no exceptions will be made in these cases. Regarding committee and commission meetings, please confirm whether these can be postponed or take place digitally.

Workstations in the University Library will not be available for use as of 16 December, and hours of operation will be modified. Be sure to check the University Library website for details.

Homeoffice for all employees where possible

From 16 December 2020 until 10 January 2021, all Bauhaus-Universität Weimar employees are required to work from home whenever possible. Physical attendance is only permitted if the employee’s work is otherwise not possible, and is only permitted when the general hygiene plan is adhered to. The respective supervisors are responsible for final decisions on this matter.  Multiple employees working in the same office space must be avoided at all costs. Further information on working from home (working hours, data protection, etc.) can be found on the FAQs for employees webpage.

Detailed regulations concerning childcare responsibilities will be posed in the FAQ section of the coronavirus information page: www.uni-weimar.de/coronavirus

Public and visitor access to university buildings

Public and visitor access to university buildings is prohibited. The university buildings are locked for security reasons. Employees can access their workstations if necessary by using their Thoska before and after the closure period (i.e. up until 23 December 2020 and again on 4 January 2021). Students will be permitted access to the necessary extent. Steubenstraße 6 will be accessible via the Hochschulform (ath the large chair) entrance during the opening hours of the University Library.

All regulations are in effect until 10 January 2021, at which time the Board of Governance, together with the Crisis Unit, will re-evaluate the situation and notify you as early as possible as to how the winter semester will proceed. Be sure to keep yourself informed by checking your university e-mail and the coronavirus information page regularly (www.uni-weimar.de/coronavirus). Thank you.

On behalf of the Board of Governance
Winfried Speitkamp