Students Information
Change in Policy for the Mode of Operation Based on the COVID-19 Situation
May 22, 2020
To: Students, Faculty Members, and Employees
Change in Policy for the Mode of Operation Based on the COVID-19 Situation
The government has indicated the criteria for lifting the declaration of a state of emergency on May 14, 2020 and Ibaraki Prefecture has been removed from “target regions of the declaration of the state of emergency”. As such, for Ibaraki Prefecture, a part of its previous request on a voluntary ban on leaving home and suspension of business has been eased and the reopening of schools has been taken a step further from May 18.
On the other hand, the 6 centers of “class”, “research”, “entry of students to the campus”, “extracurricular activity”, “on-campus meeting”, and “administrative system” were prescribed to describe the mode of operations of our university, and after clarifying the possible mode for each, our university will indicate the optimum mode to students, faculty members, and employees in the situation faced by our university and we would like to ask all of you to take measures in accordance with this mode.
Currently, Ibaraki Prefecture has been excluded from “target regions of the declaration of the state of emergency” based on the criteria for lifting the declaration of the state of emergency indicated by the government on May 14, 2020 and the gradual easing of “Measures toward the resumption of socioeconomic activities” of Ibaraki Prefecture has begun, however, our university, which has close ties with the 4 prefectures of Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, and Kanagawa where the declaration of the state of emergency has yet to be lifted, is in the process of continuing the status quo on the basis of the “Request in regard to the handling of our university contingent to the expansion nationwide of target regions of the declaration of a state of emergency” issued on April 17 in view of the special circumstances.
However, in case the declaration of the state of emergency for the above 4 prefectures was lifted, preparations for changing the mode of operations of our university are needed.
As such, we would like to inform you of our thoughts about the possibility of a change in the mode of operations of our university for the future based on the current situation regarding COVID-19 to the following effect.
1 Potential date of change in the mode of operations of our university
Where the abolition of the movement restriction by lifting the declaration of the state of emergency in the Tokyo metropolitan area is expected to be May 31 and given the possibility of infection on May 31, because there is a need to set a health observation period of 2 weeks from that day, we would like to mark June 15, 2020 (Monday) as the potential date of change in the mode of operations of our university.
However, this is predicated on the infection status of the southern district of Ibaraki Prefecture to maintain a stable level in the future. This is taking into consideration the rapid outbreak of COVID-19 in the southern district of the prefecture during the period when the declaration of the state of emergency was issued in the Tokyo metropolitan area before and Ibaraki Prefecture was not one of the target regions.
Notes:
(1) Because people frequently travel between the above prefectures where the declaration of the state of emergency has not been lifted and Tsukuba City (even at ordinary times, about 35,000 people travel by Tsukuba Express every day), we are requesting students, faculty members, and employees to refrain from travel to the Tokyo metropolitan area as much as possible until May 31.
(2) If the government lifts the declaration of the state of emergency in the above 4 prefectures on May 25 and all of these prefectures abolish the movement restriction on the same day or without waiting for May 31, while ensuring consistency with measures of Tsukuba City, we would like to decide whether to also accelerate the date of change in the mode of operations of our university.
2 Get ready for the change in the mode of operations.
We assume that you have been “avoiding going out when cold symptoms including fever start, instead of coming to the university or work”, “taking and recording your body temperature including health observations every day”, and other measures against COVID-19.
Students should prepare to submit the health observation report form for the last 14 days nearest to the date that they would like to enter the university campus for the first time following the estimated date of change in the mode of operations of our university to the education organization (homeroom teacher, academic advisor, etc.).
Furthermore, we have prepared an example of the health observation report form so use it as appropriate.
In addition, based on the current situation regarding COVID-19, the date of change in the mode of operations is as shown above, however, COVID-19 has not yet been stamped out and for students, faculty members, and employees of our university, please continue preventive measures against infection including refraining voluntarily from non-essential outings and avoiding the “Three Cs” of closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings and be vigilant with avoiding risks.
INAGAKI Toshiyuki
Vice President for General Affairs
COVID-19 Response Team