Content providers have removed paywalls during COVID-19. CAUL is keeping track

The Council of Australian University Librarians reports “a very strong response” from vendors. The latest list is  here .

The big for-profits are on it, including Elsevier; although Emerald might want to update its deadline. A compilation of COVID-19 resources is open access to March 31.

Delayed med school admission test still happening

The Graduate Medical School Admission Test originally scheduled for March 21 will now be run on-line “at the end of May.” Ralph Saubern from administrator, Australian Council for Educational Research says, “we are working hard to ensure that any impact on the time-frames for interviews and offers is minimised.”

But the NCVER pulls the pin on its annual conference

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research has cancelled this year’s “No frills” conference, scheduled for Perth, July 8-10.

Back to the bench

The Australian Society for Microbiology is compiling a database of people who can assist hospital labs with COVID-19 tests or share reagents.

But no classes next week at Deakin U

While almost all courses are now in the cloud, the university intended to resume on-campus, face-to-face labs and pracs on Monday, but not now.

Vice Chancellor Iain Martin told students yesterday that (ex, “a very small number of courses”) “students are no longer required on-campus. As to students who live there, “residential facilities remain a critical and essential service for those students who have no alternative to continue living on campus.”

Federation U falls-in with other Vic unis

All TAFE and HE campus-classes are off today for the rest of the week. TAFE will then break for Easter but HE teaching will return on Monday, mostly on-line. Staff who are not afflicted with COVID-19 but required to self-isolate should work from home and if they can’t they will be on-leave. Casuals and sessionals will also have paid leave, based on hours scheduled to work if ill/self-isolated/ unable to work from home. Policies are broadly in line with universities across the state.