Dear SPU Community
In line with the announcement by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation that final year students and those graduating in 2020 may return to campus under the COVID-19 Level 3 lockdown, Sol Plaatje University will welcome its first cohort of students from 19 June 2020.
Among the students returning are those in their final year of study who are due to graduate and those requiring access to laboratories and technical equipment.
These students have been identified through the various departments and will be informed individually.
The SRC and some members of the student leadership in residences will return approximately 10 to 14 days prior to the first cohort of students. They will be trained in the various health protocols and will assist the University with the transition to a new way of operating necessitated by the current pandemic.
Under the Level 3 lockdown, a maximum of 33% of students will be allowed to return to campuses and residences as long as they can be accommodated in line with health and safety protocols.
All tertiary institutions will be expected to have personal protective equipment in place for every student and to have deep cleaned residences, lecture halls and laboratories before welcoming students.
The University has put in place the following measures in order to meet the terms of the health and safety regulations:
1. Fogging of residences\ dining hall and the exam hall
2. Procurement of face masks
3. Developed a plan to stagger meal times
4. Prepared a quarantine facility near campus
5. Put-in sanitizing stations in all residences
6. Cleaned all residences
7. Established mass screening stations in our residences
8. Providing permits for students who will be allowed to come back to campus
The process by which we will manage the return of our students to campus requires that:
9. We contact all the students who are supposed to come back
10. Only students on the list of returns will be allowed in the residence
11. Students must be screened when they come in
12. Students who present with symptoms will be referred to quarantine
13. Meal times will be placed on a notice board
14. Day students will be screened daily
15. Day students will be sent back home if found to have a high temperature or presenting with symptoms
We are keeping the Northern Cape Provincial Government informed about our plans through our participation in the Provincial Joints Command Council.
A further cohort of students will be allowed to return to campus once the COVID-19 alert level has been further reduced and we are advised to do so by the government.
Kind regards
Professor Andrew M Crouch
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
