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Campus activity at third-tier universities in Dublin will be greatly reduced under the new Covid-19 restrictions.
Most lectures and teaching will take place online when possible, with the exception of short tutorials and lab work.
All club and social activities on campus will be suspended, while access to libraries will be subject to strict social distancing protocols and reservation systems.
On-campus orientation for freshmen is likely to continue in some cases, but on a staggered basis, so the total number of students on-site is limited.
The measures follow discussions between the Department of Higher Education and representative bodies of tertiary universities based on updated advice from the National Public Health Emergencies Team (NPHET).
Universities and colleges began communicating the revised plans to students and staff on Friday afternoon.
Last-minute changes have disrupted university reopening plans for many major higher education institutions, including UCD, Trinity College, DCU, TU Dublin, and RCSI. Maynooth University has also announced that it will limit activity on campus due to its proximity to Dublin.
The changes will also affect universities such as IADT, NCAD, universities of higher education and private third-level institutions.
UCD, for example, which is due to resume classes next week, said the campus activity scheduled for next week will not take place unless students are informed otherwise.
The orientation for the early years, which was to take place on campus, will be held online, while most lectures will be held online.
The university’s registrar, Professor Mark Rogers, said the measures he was taking were equivalent to Level 4 in the government’s new Living with Covid plan.
Trinity College Dublin has also taken steps to limit on-campus congregation, even moving most lectures online aside from smaller group work such as internships and lab work.
TU Dublin said that all activities that do not require assistance on campus will move to remote delivery when possible, while more hands-on classes such as labs, kitchens or workshops will continue on campus.
At IADT, discretionary social activity has ceased to limit congregational occasions. The library will remain open but with capacity controls and physical distancing.
Maynooth University said larger lectures will be delivered online, while small classes and tutorials will be limited to 30 students. Most of your “welcome week” for the first few years will take place online.
The Irish Universities Association confirmed that it has agreed to a set of “enhanced measures” in response to a request from NPHET to address the increasing incidence of Covid-19 in the county.
He said the capital’s universities will use their discretion when deciding between the location and the remote for scheduling particular activities where remote delivery is feasible during this period.
Provisioning on campus will be minimized and priority will be given to teaching and learning that can only take place on site.
This will include teaching and research in laboratories, practical classes and workshops.
All research activities at the university will continue as normal, he said. These additional measures are expected to be reviewed after an initial period in light of evolving public health advice, the IUA said.
Outside dublin
Outside of Dublin, most universities and institutes of technology are continuing their existing plans to reopen and welcome students on campus based on their approach to blended learning for the next semester.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris welcomed the shift to more online learning and less on-site activity
“Individual institutions are reviewing their plans and I am pleased to say that they will be contacting students shortly,” he said.
“The reopening of the facilities outside of Dublin will proceed as planned, based on a model of blended learning and full compliance with public health councils.”
The Union of Students of Ireland (USI) said that any restrictions should ensure that students who rent are not left with thousands of euros out of pocket.
He said he has been repeatedly asking the government to protect students who had to make decisions about whether to rent accommodation near their universities despite the lack of clarity about how long they would spend on campus.
USI President Lorna Fitzpatrick said: “Student safety is our first priority and we will always support and promote public health councils.
“If the reports regarding the Dublin measures are correct and face-to-face learning is delayed, the government must act immediately to protect and support the students they rent.
“We cannot see a repeat of what happened in March where students were left with hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of euros out of pocket because deposits and prepaid rent were not returned.
USI said it was asking the colleges and universities affected by the new public health measures to support students in every way possible by facilitating access to vital services on campus, when possible.
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