Building access changes from 1 September
Tuesday, 25 August 2020
From 1 September, Schools and Functions will authorise access to buildings instead of the Major Recovery Team (MRT).
This will coincide with the further easing of building restrictions as we prepare for our phased return to campus.
What is changing?
From 1 September, access to buildings will no longer be controlled by the MRT but will revert to local School/Function control as it was prior to the pandemic.
What does this mean for me?
You still shouldn't come to campus unless you have authorisation to do so, or until you have been asked to as part of our phased return.
From 1 September, the One -Off item collection form will no longer be in use - instead, permission should be obtained from your Head of School/Function to access campus.
Different buildings may have different security arrangements, so, once you have permission, you should check what the arrangements are for your building before attending - someone may need to be arranged to let you in. Normally this will be someone from your School or Function.
Under the Phased Return, forms MRT02 or MRT03 will still need to be completed before authorisation to return is approved, but the authorisation will now be by your Head of School or Function. The MRT02 and MRT03 forms can be obtained from your School or Functions' Health & Safety Co-ordinator - please contact your line manager if you are unsure of who this would be. Any changes required to Campus Card access can be made by your local Campus Cards administrator.
Why is this changing?
As start of term approaches the numbers of colleagues needing to return to site to prepare will increase. The MRT have taken a decision to ease University-wide restrictions so that individual Schools and Functions can tailor their phased return plans in a way that best suits their needs. Building access plays an important part in this - the ability to handle this locally gives each School and Function more flexibility in how they manage the phased return of their own local teams.
Some colleagues are already transitioning back to working on campus, and others are expected to follow in September, either fully or to work flexibly between campus and continued remote working. This will help to reduce the numbers on campus and support our Covid-Secure mitigations. It is important therefore that decisions are taken locally by Heads of School/Function about what is best for their teams.
If you have any queries, please speak to your line manager in the first instance. Further guidance is also available on our COVID-19 FAQ page.