Some feel frightened, others ignored

All week universities explained how they are keeping students safe by taking classes on-line and protecting staff by allowing them to work from home. And then they added campuses stay open.

There was another audience who heard the messages – the front-line staff who work, in libraries and student services and many more functions, the people who are expected to turn-up and keep campuses functioning. And many did not like what they heard, as if they are expendable, as if their COVID-19 risk matters less. All week people have been telling CMM they are anxious, alarmed and feel unvalued and abandoned.

One way to fix this is senior managers leading by walking around and talking to staff who are at work, on-campus. Or at least acknowledging the people at the sharp end. Uni Sydney shows at least some of the way, via Twitter, yesterday.

“We are so grateful for all of our Uni Sydney staff who are going to extraordinary lengths to support our students, maintain our research, and keep our community well. We are fortunate to have staff who have shown such empathy, creativity and goodwill in these challenging times.”