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VC message – First semester 2020

To the SPU Community

Since the national lockdown came into effect at the end of March 2020 we have had to navigate in unchartered waters. I am happy to report that because we have all pulled together SPU is still on the right course for a successful completion of the academic year. As a young University we can take pride in having effectively traversed the new online offerings to our students, sometimes under trying circumstances, and not without challenges. We have managed to reach a significant milestone in this academic year – we have come to the end of the formal teaching period of the first semester and yesterday our students began their online assessment period. 

It is only through the dedication and diligence of our academic, professional and support staff and our students that we have been able to successfully reach this point in the academic year. These are unprecedented times, so the manner in which the SPU community has responded to the challenges and opportunities has been a highlight of my first four months as Vice-Chancellor and Principal. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it many restrictions on how we can operate as a University, but in the main we have remained operational through your conscientiousness and commitment to the academic project. 

Our community has not been untouched by the health issues associated with COVID-19. We have had both staff and student who have tested positive for the virus, however it is fortuitous that they are all on the path to recovery. Please continue to adhere to the health and safety protocols that are in place during this time.

Since 18 May 2020 about 30% of our staff have returned to campus while the rest have continued to work online from home. I look forward to welcoming more staff back onto campus once the lockdown restrictions have eased.

The SRC and the first three cohorts of other students returned to campus in June and the processes and systems in place to manage their presence on campus are functioning appropriately. We invited about 261 students back to campus of which 241 returned.

In the second semester we will continue with online teaching and learning in all modules and will invite a further two cohorts of students (319 in total) to return to campus for that semester. One-on-one or small groups of student/staff contact sessions will continue to be left to the discretion of the Schools and Departments and will be guided by the national safety levels.

I want to wish our students well on their assessments.  They have worked hard and stayed the course with us this semester and their efforts will no doubt yield good results.  They can then enjoy a two-week recess during which time I urge them to remain safe and healthy and return to us eager to take on the second semester in mid-September.

Kind regards

Professor Andrew M Crouch

Vice-Chancellor and Principal

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