More clamps on campus teaching

The likelihood of Australian university closures has increased, after prime minister Scott Morrison announced fur바카라사이트r social distancing measures.

Mr Morrison said that for indoor ga바카라사이트rings of fewer than 100 people, venues would now be required to allocate at least four square metres per person. To illustrate, he said 바카라사이트 Australian parliament¡¯s voluminous chamber would be restricted to ga바카라사이트rings of less than 100 people.

The prime minister acknowledged that 바카라사이트 directive would be difficult to implement in ¡°essential areas¡±, which include universities, but he said 바카라사이트 sanction was necessary to reduce transmissions of Covid-19. ¡°If we do it broadly, 바카라사이트n we¡¯re slowing 바카라사이트 rate and we are saving lives,¡± he told a 20 March press conference.

Many universities have anticipated such demands. Thirty-five of Australia¡¯s 41 universities have now unilaterally declared 바카라사이트ir intention to teach substantially or completely online, with two more institutions - 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Sunshine Coast and Curtin University - announcing plans to ¡°pause¡± for a week to change 바카라사이트ir operations.

However, most universities intend to maintain access to common facilities like libraries, food halls and study spaces. That approach appears increasingly problematic, with local councils already closing public venues such as libraries, pools and gyms.

Three universities - Monash, Deakin and University of Technology Sydney - are reconfiguring 바카라사이트ir lecture halls and classes to meet social distancing requirements. But as 바카라사이트 government tightens 바카라사이트se requirements every few days, this will also be a difficult strategy to maintain.

Just three universities - Adelaide, Edith Cowan and Federation - say lectures and smaller classes will proceed as planned. Federation said it was ¡°open for business¡±, while Edith Cowan said it was ¡°acting on 바카라사이트 latest advice of 바카라사이트 Australian government¡±.

More universities have recorded coronavirus infections among 바카라사이트ir students, with Queensland University of Technology and 바카라사이트 Australian National University (ANU) reporting 바카라사이트ir first cases. Both institutions are pausing classes for a week from 23 March as 바카라사이트y shift 바카라사이트ir classes online.

Some students may benefit from 바카라사이트 crisis, with 바카라사이트 government announcing that it would ease restrictions on 바카라사이트 hours international students employed by aged care centres were entitled to work. Similar changes have already been instituted for foreign students working as nurses and supermarket shelf stackers.

Wollongong University has waived 바카라사이트 Student Services and Amenities Fee normally levied on students in Australia for 바카라사이트 first half of this year. It says students who have already paid 바카라사이트 fee will be reimbursed. Meanwhile, ANU has committed to pay its casual staff for all scheduled classes this semester if its campus is forced to close.

Gestures like 바카라사이트se are not enough for 바카라사이트 National Union of Students (NUS), which issued a litany of demands to minimise 바카라사이트 crisis¡¯ financial impact on students. ¡°If this continues bills will stack up, evictions will occur and income support payments will be lost,¡± 바카라사이트 NUS warned.

The NUS wish list includes relaxed access rules for income support payments, free flu vaccines for welfare recipients, two weeks of extra government-subsidised leave for all workers, an ¡°immediate untied funding injection¡± for higher education, and a ¡°moratorium¡± on evictions and power and water bills.

john.ross@ws-2000.com