Current information on university operations under Corona restrictions

Now, in view of the declining number of infections and the increasing easing of restrictions due to the pandemic, the question arises in Lower Saxony as to how we as a university, which sees attendance studies and diverse exchanges as one of its strengths, can carefully and thoughtfully ensure that life returns to our campus. Against this background, the presidential committee would like to inform you today about the current state of affairs.

1. In teaching and studying, we will end the current summer semester's courses in digital form on 10 July as planned, unless special arrangements have been made in individual courses.
    
2. We were able to provide initial information on the plans for teaching in the winter semester on 9 June. The semester will begin as usual on Monday, October 12, with the courses; for first semesters on Thursday, October 1, with the opening week.
   
   As far as the planning for the winter semester is concerned, the current state of affairs is that we want to create as many courses as possible in presence on campus, even if, due to distance and hygiene regulations and our joint responsibility for the protection of all, large parts of the course will still have to take place digitally. On the one hand, we will still be far away from normal operation, because the distance rules alone mean that we can only use 10% to 30% of the usual room capacities for courses.
   
   For our students, however, it should still be possible to spend a semester at the university town of Lüneburg. In order to achieve this goal, we are currently investigating whether our lecturers can offer their courses in a hybrid form, i.e. a mixture of online and attendance study. The Senate will shortly address these issues. We will inform you in detail about the results and next steps as soon as possible.
    
3. The research work can be continued as far as possible under the conditions and restrictions currently in place. The use of offices and laboratories is possible for researchers in compliance with the applicable distance and hygiene rules, even if additional risk assessments may have to be carried out and safety concepts agreed with our occupational safety department. Travel and events are also still only possible to a limited extent.
    
4. In administration we will continue to work from the home office as far as possible in order to limit physical contact within the university, to reduce physical distances and to avoid infections among university employees. In this context, we will extend the previously communicated regulations for employees again for the period of the Lower Saxony summer holidays; they will remain valid until 30 August. From the beginning of September onwards, we aim to transfer work from the home office to the campus again as far as possible.
    
5. There is positive news regarding the supply infrastructure on the central campus: all catering services had to be discontinued due to corona conditions. But since Monday, June 29, the cafeteria has been offering catering facilities again. From Mondays to Thursdays there are three take-away meals to choose from in the time between 12 and 14 o'clock. However, breakfast and evening meals are not yet available again.

Please bear in mind for your further planning that, in view of the Corona pandemic, we must continue to expect restrictions and conditions that may be imposed at short notice. However, we will do everything in our power to provide opportunities for direct exchange in the coming winter semester. Please understand that we will only be able to provide you with more detailed and concrete information in a few weeks' time and only gradually.

If you have any questions or suggestions, you can still use the information pages at www.leuphana.de/portale/coronavirus and the central e-mail address cv-info@leuphana.de.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you once again: all lecturers and all those involved in the organization of teaching, all colleagues in the university administration, especially those in the Media and Information Centre, in the Teaching Service, in schools and in the dean's offices, in the Legal Office and in the Student Service, who have made the changes in the operation of the university possible in the last few weeks through their particularly high level of commitment, all colleagues who have been able to work from their home office, sometimes under difficult conditions due to their private situation, e.g. because they had to care for children or relatives, and last but not least all colleagues who could not and cannot work at home due to the nature of their work, but have maintained and continue to maintain operations in the office or on site at the university.

As part of our community, please continue to support the university, its students, scientists and staff in the coming period with your commitment, inspiration and dedication.