No closures for university
AS THE University of Queensland suspends teaching for a week due to COVID-19, it is business and classes as usual at the University of Southern Queensland.
USQ Toowoomba Deputy Vice-Chancellor Karen Nelson said the senior management team was reviewing operations daily.
“We have a range of contingencies that we are planning and we will execute on a day-by-day basis as the situation develops,” Ms Nelson said.
“If there is a diagnosis (on campus), we will take advice from the health authorities about what our next steps may be.
“At this time we are not considering closing the campus.”
Ms Nelson added that preparations had been made for students residing on campus.
“We have one building that is part of our residential college system prepared as an isolation facility,” she said.
“We do have quite a few students living at our residences who may be unable to return home, and we wanted to make sure we had a place for them to go in case there was an infection on campus.”
However the university will be postponing its first semester graduation ceremonies scheduled for April and May.
USQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie said the university’s decision was not taken lightly.
“We understand how disappointing this decision will be, but we must put the health and wellbeing of our students, our staff, and our community first,” Professor Mackenzie said.
During this time, graduands will graduate in absentia, meaning that degrees will be conferred and testamurs sent out.