The Association of Australian University Professors warns about the prospect of Australia “losing control” of the COVID-19 epidemic and calls for an “immediate lock-down”
“If hospital beds are full with COVID-19 patients and half the health workforce is sick with COVID-19, the ability to treat other diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, will be severely reduced. There will also be many people with COVID-19 unable to access hospital care,” the association warned in a weekend statement. Plus, not enough masks means healthcare workers are “now themselves at the highest risk of infection.”
The association called for extensive testing and isolation, tracking and quarantining contacts, travel restrictions and “most importantly” social distancing,
Uni SA census date moved back
Late Friday UNI SA joined universities giving students a “try before buy” chance to sample on-line study. The university told students that census date for study period three (April 6 to June 12) moves, a bit, from April 24 to May 1.
Jane den Hollander says UWA has “supported” 75 per cent – 80 per cent of staff to work from home
Yes, that Jane den Hollander, the recently retired Deakin U VC who was (quietly) appointed to act at UWA between Dawn Freshwater leaving (for Auckland U) and incoming vice chancellor Amit Chakma arriving from U Western Ontario in July.
Uni SA moves on-line
On Friday VC David Lloyd asked all staff and student to move to work and study from home, “unless your attendance on campus is deemed essential.” All lectures and tutes are on-line, as of today.
Other face-to-face tuition was already suspended to April 27, courses which do not have a solution to no in-person classes by then are suspended to “later in the academic year.”
Remote working arrangements are in force until further notice but campuses are not closed, with staff essential for, “necessary services, supports, research, training or other activities required for business continuity on campus.”
Curtin U classes start this morning after a week off to move them on-line
The university is “encouraging all staff who can work remotely to do so.” The library is also closed, “in accordance with government advice,” (but not on the Kalgoorlie campus where it shares premises with student services).
At University of Notre Dame Australia all teaching and learning is on-line as of Friday and staff are working effectively from home
But new VC Francis Campbell says the university remains open, “it is vital due to the complexity of universities that some of our services remain open and accessible to those students who need them the most. Including the library “we are maintaining an open campus at a library level,” Professor Campbell tells staff.