Dear all,

I hope you’re all staying well.

I'm writing to you regarding the Government's new national restrictions, which come into effect from 5 November:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

All universities are currently waiting for more detailed guidelines from the Department of Education. The current Government guidelines state: “If you live at university, you must not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time. You should only return home at the end of term for Christmas. We will publish further guidance on the end of term." These restrictions come into effect this Thursday, 5th November.

At a local level, the University continues to stress its commitment to blended learning. You can find information on Warwick's safety-assured spaces for teaching and other activities on the Stay Safe on campus website:

https://warwick.ac.uk/coronavirus/safety/oncampus/

The campus will remain open during lockdown, including the library, wellbeing, some food and drink venues, Humanities, and other buildings in which any on-campus teaching is taking place. We also understand many of you are self-isolating—please do continue to let us know if you are here:

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/english/currentstudents/reportselfisolation

The University has also advised that if 50% or more students are self-isolating or medically absent in any given seminar planned to take place on campus that this seminar group should move online.

If you have specific medical reasons and wish to apply for exemption from on-campus teaching, please write to me directly with relevant documentation and I will support your case for final approval by the Academic Registrar. If you are unable to attend your on-campus teaching, your tutors will meet you in their online office hours to discuss what you have missed.

I’ll be in touch with any further updates from the University as they come in so do look out for further communications this week.

Best wishes,

Emma

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Professor Emma Mason, Head of English and Comparative Literary Studies, University of Warwick