Information for all professors, lecturers and students on the implementation of teaching during the Christmas week and the first week of the new Year

Dear university members,
dear professors and lecturers, dear students,

in view of the development of the infection situation, the increasing concerns about a possible spread of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus and the changed Corona ordinance of the State of Lower Saxony, we would like to inform you again about the development of the infection situation at Leuphana and about changes in the regulations for conducting teaching and studying in our courses.

1. We can currently continue to give a reassuring signal regarding the infection situation at Leuphana. Since the start of regular courses in mid-October, the university has now been informed of cases of infection by 47 university members; at the beginning of November, there were 26 cases. We are thus still recording very few cases per week, and we continue to assume in none of these cases – neither proven nor presumed – that an infection has occurred in the context of the university or in the context of courses. Provided that all university members observe all known hygiene measures (mask obligation, ventilation, distance), we consider the university operation in presence against this background after detailed consideration of all interests worthy of protection currently still responsible and against the background of the educational and developmental interests of the students also required.
    
2. The state government of Lower Saxony has in the meantime expressly confirmed to us that even under the conditions of the new state's Corona Ordinance, which was recently amended again, all of the state's universities have the option of continuing their face-to-face operations under 3G conditions. Against this background, all regulations currently in force at Leuphana regarding the implementation of face-to-face courses will therefore continue to apply until further notice. We are in close consultation with the state government as well as with other universities in Lower Saxony.
    
3. In view of the upcoming family visits in connection with Christmas and the corresponding precautions, the Presidential Board and the Senate, after consulting with the Student Body, the Staff Council and the heads of our departments and facilities, have agreed this week that all courses planned for the coming Christmas week and the first week of the new year, i.e. all courses in the period from Monday, December 20, 2021 to Sunday, January 9, 2022, can also be held entirely as online courses if there are no didactic reasons to the contrary. This means concretely:
   
   a) Instructors may decide to hold their courses scheduled between December 20-22, 2021 and January 5-9, 2022 either in presence from the course rooms or, alternatively, entirely online. Students shall continue to have the option to follow courses via online transmission for courses that are held in presence. For instructors, the basic on-campus attendance requirement is waived for this period. If you have any questions about this, please contact your instructors directly or the Dean of Studies office responsible for you.
   
   b) Courses that require physical presence on campus for didactic reasons (especially in the natural sciences or in music, art, sports) can continue to be held in presence.
    
4. As things stand today, all courses scheduled from January 10, 2022 until the end of the lecture period on February 6, 2022 will continue to be held as planned with physical presence on campus, as has been the case in recent weeks, unless lecturers have agreed exceptions for medical reasons with their responsible dean of studies. If there are any changes in this context in the coming weeks, we will inform you at short notice. Students who want or need to can continue to passively participate in all events via online transmission. However, all students should continue to have the opportunity to study completely from campus in presence or with streaming in lecture halls.
    
5. As things stand today, it is still planned to conduct examinations during the examination phase of the winter semester 2021/22 in presence. A final decision on the conduct of examinations is to be made in the second calendar week of the new year, i.e. in the week of January 10, 2022. We will also inform you about this in the new year at short notice.

Please continue to pay attention to all information on our Corona portal at www.leuphana.de/portale/coronavirus. If you have any questions, please continue to contact the deans of studies responsible for you or our central e-mail contact at cv-info@leuphana.de. Please continue to notify the University of confirmed Corona infections at cv-kontaktnachverfolgung@leuphana.de.

With sincere thanks for your continued understanding, efforts and commitment to the best possible delivery of your teaching and studies under conditions that - for the time being – remain difficult,

with kind regards

Sascha Spoun
President

Christian Brei
Executive Vice President

Erich Hörl
Vice President College

Simone Abels
Vice President Graduate School

Jörg Terhechte
Vice President Professional School

Susanne Leeb
Vice President Research