AMU INFO - SPECIAL COVID19 - N°19

Friday, June 19, 2020,

Dearly beloved,

The President of the French Republic announced it yesterday evening: to deal with the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic we must "regain the containment that stopped the virus from Friday. The whole national territory is concerned. The new containment measures will be applied until December 1st, at least.

While schools, colleges and high schools will remain open, universities will have to provide distance learning from Friday, October 30.

Our institution is not closing.

Following these national announcements, I would like to quickly inform you of the first measures that I would like to see applied within AMU:

• First of all, as since the beginning of the crisis, your health and that of your loved ones remains the priority. I wish the maximum protection of our entire community. Our common future is at stake, and last spring's experience has shown us the collective strength we are capable of deploying at the heart of the health crisis. So I know that we will be able to face, together, this second wave of the virus. Together, we will be able to overcome this new ordeal while preserving our essential public service missions.
• Asfar as training is concerned, lectures and tutorials will be held in distance. Concerning the practical work and the organisation of the exams, we are waiting for further details from the State. The activities and services by appointment of the University Libraries are still under discussion in interministerial meetings. We will also inform you as soon as possible.
• University catering is still possible by take-away sale.
• Administrative and pedagogical continuity will be ensured. I am counting on each and every one of you. The graduation of our students, the payment of our suppliers as well as our salaries, the research in all fields, the animation and the strength of our collective must continue.
• To achieve this, distance working is once again becoming the norm. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary for service, I strongly encourage colleagues whose assignments can be carried out remotely to strictly respect confinement. On a voluntary basis and by written request to their superiors, colleagues who wish to come and work on site can do so, while respecting barrier gestures and the wearing of masks, with strict social distancing and within the limit of 30% of the workforce per day.
  
  Concerning the material aspect, the borrowing of computer equipment (screens, keyboard, mouse, etc.) currently in the office must be confirmed by each member of staff with their department manager, and within the framework of the organisation of work within each group: office, department, management.
  
  This new constraint of isolation obviously reinforces my decision - which you overwhelmingly approved - to accelerate the deployment of telework within AMU. While this new organisation of our professional and personal rhythms was adopted by our authorities this month, the confinement forces us to deploy it quickly.
• Concerning research activities, I authorize the continuation of face-to-face work in the laboratories by limiting the number of staff present simultaneously within the unit. Unit directors are free and responsible for granting and managing derogations to define an attendance gauge to ensure that social distancing is respected. Master's degree research students are considered in the same way as other unit staff.Thesis and HDR defences may continue to be held at a distance, in whole or in part, but must be held behind closed doors.
• All physical and sporting activities, whether in the open air or in a covered space, are suspended. Online "sport at home" offers will soon be available again.
• Concerning our collective and the event activity , which were coming back to life significantly with the programming of some inaugurations and academic and scientific evenings, I regret to announce their postponement to a date still unknown and dependent on the improvement of the sanitary situation. Any physical event gathering is therefore to be proscribed, as well as collective situations that encourage people to take off their masks.

I count on you all to respect these instructions which aim to preserve our health. Let us not slacken our efforts nor our determination to come out victorious and stronger from this new event which, I dare to believe, will further strengthen our sense of belonging to Aix-Marseille University.

Take care of yourselves,

Eric Berton

President of Aix-Marseille University