TO THE UNICAMP COMMUNITY
What are academic activities like after more than 60 days of social distancing?
In this very difficult period, we need to reflect now, with seriousness and common sense, on what and how it will be possible to recover what today seems like a distant past, as well as on the necessary adaptations for a new reality, which many have called “ new normal.”
I think we all ask ourselves, every day, when we will be able to enjoy coexistence on the Unicamp campuses again. When will we return to in-person classes and seminars, to thesis defenses in the presence of friends, family and colleagues? When will we be able to participate in the cultural, artistic and sporting events that brought us together as a community? When will our university once again interact intensely with the community that has always frequented its campuses, providing them with a space for learning and leisure?
The answers are few and the uncertainty is as palpable as the hope. The pandemic is still growing, affecting all layers of society and spreading throughout the State of São Paulo. It also hits countless other states very intensely, invading the cities and campuses of partner universities, which, like ours, have face-to-face activities interrupted.
Despite the countless uncertainties regarding the medium and long-term evolution of the pandemic, we have to ask ourselves, with the urgency that the gravity of the current situation demands: what is on the horizon, in the short term?
Unicamp, in response to the moment, created several working groups, with the difficult mission of ensuring everyone's safety as much as possible, responsibly adopting sanitary and epidemiological control measures. And it is already clear that we have to remain active in prevention and persistent in resilience and in the effort to adapt, every day, to the frightening and, at times, unexpected development of the pandemic. Knowing that this state of affairs will probably last until the first months of 2021, it is necessary to see 2020 as an exceptional year.
In this extremely serious situation, taking into account the available variables, it is our responsibility to discuss possible scenarios for resuming activities. In a cautious manner, without exaggerated optimism or panic, in an attentive and rational manner, in a phased planning that guarantees us an evaluation of results and possibilities for changing directions.
In this step-by-step guide, the first action is to reinforce and guarantee the measures that the entire community knows: use of masks, regular hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol gel, distancing of symptomatic people, cough and sneeze etiquette, guidance isolation of contaminated people and their contacts, maintaining distance in restaurants, canteens, work rooms, means of transport, sanitizing environments several times a day, reducing the use of air conditioning, keeping windows and doors open, to facilitate air circulation. And also extensively apply tests that allow identifying infected people and people already immune to the virus.
The preliminary stage has already begun, and is preparatory for future activities. At this stage, it is necessary to reorganize spaces, acquire inputs, train people. We are also working together with the Covid-19 Task Force to have full testing capacity for the Unicamp community.
To establish care protocols for each space and each group, and to provide the necessary measures for their adoption, a crisis group was created, even before the suspension of in-person activities, to discuss the decisions. Led by the Chief of Staff, Prof. José Gontijo, the group not only has representatives from many units and services, but is also open to suggestions from any sector of the university, aiming to promote a coordinated and common effort to overcome the crisis. At this time, a preliminary project for returning to activities has been prepared, without defining dates, which is being widely discussed within the University.
The Teaching and Research Units need to discuss and decide what is most urgent and necessary, following the general guidelines for distancing and environmental care. This applies to undergraduate, postgraduate, research and extension teaching activities. The preliminary proposal foresees a first stage of gradual return to technical-administrative activities. It is worth remembering that certainly all those who are more vulnerable and at risk of complications in the event of infection must be preserved and continue teleworking or with their academic activities remotely. The main guideline, in this case, is: everything that can be maintained remotely must continue to operate remotely.
The proposal foresees a next stage, when research laboratories with ample space and few people will be able to restart their activities, always maintaining essential precautions. Disciplines with practical activities, maintaining the preventive distance between students and staff, will be a priority when resuming. But it is up to each course to decide which activities and parts of the community need to return sooner. An example: students in the final phase and who need to complete laboratory activities should probably have priority. The essential thing, in each case and each course and Unit, is that decisions are monitored and evaluated, every fortnight, to avoid the resurgence of infections. The preliminary project foresees the slow and cautious resumption of undergraduate activities, following the same precautions already mentioned.
With the exception of laboratory research activities, there are few activities that would require postgraduate students to resume their presence on campus in the short term. Student-advisor interaction and bibliographical research work, in many areas, are viable remotely. In those where face-to-face activities are essential, it must be up to each Unit to establish a safe form of practice, minimizing risks. In this sense, the University is also preparing a basic safety guide to assist Units in establishing safe work protocols in laboratories. As an exception, qualifications and defenses have all been carried out using technology, remotely.
For greater clarity of what is preliminarily planned for the subsequent stages, the planned lines of action are listed below, as well as the estimated deadlines for their implementation. Ordered from the most general plan, they are as follows:
- FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
- RETURN PLAN: A preliminary proposal of principles and criteria to discuss options and define priorities in the University's units and bodies in the phased return is being discussed and has already been presented to directors and entities. It will be debated in all chambers, such as CCPG, CCG, Conex, CCP, CEPE, CONSU. However, the dates for its start are on hold, until there is greater clarity on the evolution of the pandemic in the municipalities where we are based and we have the necessary epidemiological guidelines. This preliminary plan is subject to review at any time, depending on the evolution of the pandemic.
- EXPECTED RETURN TO ACTIVITIES: The decision to extend the need for exclusive remote activities, except for essential services, will be reviewed at the end of May. In any case, we can already anticipate that any access to the campus will be greatly reduced and cautious in the coming months.
- FOR TEACHERS: Questions about subjects should always be discussed in advance with the corresponding coordinators and respective directors. If necessary, here are options for contacting the Deans of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies: prg.corona@reitoria.unicamp.br or prprg.corona@reitoria.unicamp.br
- FOR TEACHERS, PADs and PEDs: To contribute to the qualification of the learning and teaching process, and resolve doubts, we are continually holding discussions, webinars, virtual workshops, instructions and clarifications that are deposited on the (EA)2 digital teaching page (EA)2 ( www.eaXNUMX.unicamp.br). There you can also follow or post your questions and suggestions in a chat list (chat).
- FOR STUDENTS: Difficulties with subjects and specific issues about the course must always be discussed with the corresponding professors and coordinators, who will seek to resolve the problems with the support of management and university bodies. If necessary, here are options for contacting the Deans of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies: prg.corona@reitoria.unicamp.br or prprg.corona@reitoria.unicamp.br
- FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN STUDENT HOUSING: The specific needs of Student Housing are being met daily by the various support services, which include the Housing Coordination/PRG, the Executive Directorate of Human Rights (DEDH), the SAE/PRG, the Executive Directorate of Administration (DEA) and its services, including the Campus Experience Secretariat and the Dean's Office Head. Weekly contacts via digital communication channels in synchronous activities, such as live, has been carried out to inform and discuss demands. The emails: rightshumanos@unicamp.br and housing@unicamp.br are available for communication.
- FOR ALL EMPLOYEES: Educorp, with the support of DGRH and other bodies, will offer training for health control and cleaning of environments, following protocols that will still be defined by experts, in preparation for return. This training will include new administrative and financial procedures, where appropriate, with the participation of DGA and AEPLAN.
- FOR RESEARCHERS AND ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: There will be specific discussions and protocols, which will be published in due course. Suggestions and questions can be sent to the email prp@reitoria.unicamp.br
An important part of planning future actions is the constant assessment of the effects of the measures on the quality of life in the community and its surroundings. To achieve this, two social communication tools will be important.
The first is to obtain reliable data on the perspective, expectations and experiences of students and teaching and non-teaching employees on the University campuses. Through quick surveys, through official and unofficial channels, questionnaires will soon be distributed and the data received will be tabulated, which will later be discussed through the communication channels maintained between the administration and the university as a whole. At this time, when everything is very different from usual, it is extremely important to know the effects of the measures proposed or taken, as well as their impact on the day-to-day life of the University, critically analyzing the results collected and discussing them in the relevant units.
The second is institutional social communication and interaction with society. We highlight the work of the Crisis Group (GT-Covid/Unicamp), which organizes discussions on protocols and routines for the entire university, and continues to improve its information dissemination plan, together with Unicamp's Communication Secretariat (SEC). Important research actions carried out by the Covid-19 Task Force are constantly being publicized (http://www.ftcovid19.unicamp.br/). The University was also able to quickly organize volunteering, donations, and society involvement in causes related to the fight against the pandemic (see https://www.unicamp.br/unicamp/coronavirus/doacoes). The entire academic community is invited to engage in one of the different fronts of action.
Finally, it is necessary to highlight the set of measures aimed at providing information to society. Contact with the external community is not only a duty, in the case of a public institution, but it is of utmost relevance at this time, not only to show what we have done and are doing, both with regard to student training, and with regard to our responsibility for defending life and promoting health. We must also maintain efficient channels for gratitude and accountability to the closest community, which has given us so much support and recognition: parents and residents around Unicamp and Campinas and the region, former students and many other anonymous people, as well as entities and institutions that have helped us, with donations and volunteer work. To give you an idea of the impact, in the last two months the university has been the subject of more than ten thousand news stories (the vast majority of which are positive) in national and international vehicles.
Finally, it remains to be reaffirmed that, to face the many operational and financial challenges, it is admirable how the internal community has remained united in the effort to, without hindrance, ensure that Unicamp is preserved on all its fronts. The community has sought the best possible paths through which it can continue its constitutional missions: producing knowledge and forming citizens prepared to contribute to the advancement of a fair and democratic society.
Marcelo Knobel
Dean
Zeferino Vaz University City
Campinas, May 19, 2020.
