• Public health advice in place right now (www.gov.ie)
• A Safe Return: Plan for a Safe Return to On-site Further and Higher Education and Research in 2021/22
• Transitional Protocol: Good Practice Guidance for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
• Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Update to Guidance (June 2021) on working arrangements during COVID-19 for the Civil and Public Service
• HSE COVID-19 Information
• DFA Travel Advice
• HSA Guidance on Working from Home
• Psychological Support - COVID 19
• www.hpsc.ie
• FAQs from ECDC
• FAQs from HPSC

Our Returning to Campus webpage displays a wealth of information and resources for UCC staff returning to campus including General FAQs.

UCC have created a comprehensive Covid19 Student Induction course to help prepare students for their eventual return to campus. Students have been auto-enrolled onto this course and it will appear as one of their required courses on Canvas when they log on. Please encourage all your new and returning UCC students to complete this course. 

While staff and students are no longer required to wear face coverings, they may continue to do so if they wish.

Read more at: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/preventing-the-spread/when-to-wear-face-covering/ and https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/preventing-the-spread/face-covering-types/  

In certain circumstances students may wish to be able to see another person's mouth and lips for learning purposes or to lip-read for those hard of hearing.

Some individuals may be exempt from the requirement to wear a face covering of any kind for reasons of illness or impairment.

Students will have the option to wear a distinctive white lanyard and personal ID to signal to the rest of the University community that they are exempt from the requirement to wear a face covering for reasons of illness or impairment.

Students can apply for an alternative to the cloth face covering or the lanyard that signals they are exempt from wearing a face covering by applying to the Student Health Department using this on-line form.

Posters emphasising the importance of hand washing and respiratory etiquette are available for downloading and use in local units of the university.

The ideal locations include public lobbies, outside washrooms and adjacent  to locations where food is consumed. The posters are available in English Poster agus tá leagan Ghaeilge ar fáil chomh maith Póstaer 

The plan your library visit section of the library website provides you with all the information you need to know when planning your visit to the library

Access to Special Collections and Archives is by appointment. Appropriate social distancing and public health guidelines will be in place. Further information on the appointment service is available on the Special Collections & Archives page of the library website.

Yes. If you have queries about eBook licenses or how to create content links in your Canvas module, please contact LibraryResources@ucc.ie

Proposals for new material can be made via the e-Proposal form on the Acquisitions section of the website.

Proposals go to the relevant Library Representative within academic Schools and Departments, and once approved, they are forwarded to the Acquisitions section of the Library.

eBooks can be ordered in the same way as print books – choose Format 'eBook' when completing the form.

Suggestions for new journals, databases and other subscriptions can be made through the Library Representatives in Colleges, Schools and Departments, and through the Liaison Librarians.

In many cases a trial of a resource will be arranged before a subscription is considered.

To be copyright compliant you can request the following from UCC Library's print collections:

• one chapter of a book
• one article from a journal issue/magazine
• one scene from a play
• one paper from a set of conference proceedings
• one report of a single case from a volume of judicial proceedings
• one short story, poem or play (up to 10 pages) of an anthology
• Or 10% of the total publication, whichever is the greater

For more information check out our Digitised Content Store guide here.

Yes, you can make an appointment to speak to our Research Data Coordinator.

Yes. For more information on submitting an interlibrary loan request, please visit: https://libguides.ucc.ie/interlibraryloans

Yes there is IT support available.

A list of our remote services are available on https://www.ucc.ie/en/it/remote-working/

The best way to reach us is by using our support portal, https://servicedesk.ucc.ie/. Alternatively you can reach us by email on helpdesk@ucc.ie

Some useful contact information for colleagues:

This new way of working is also new to our IT team, but we are here to support you and we hope these resources are useful. We will be prioritising support for critical services, such as teaching and critical administration services, so please be patient and we will get to your queries. If you need our help, please let us know and we will try and get to your request as soon as possible.

A guidance note has been drafted to help staff take appropriate measures when working remotely to protect the security of the devices they use and the data they process. In light of GDPR, it is particularly important that we meet our obligations to keep all University information safe and secure. 

Please read the Working Securely When Off Campus section of the IT Services website and take any actions you deem necessary to meet your GDPR obligations. 

Buildings and Estates look after the provision of mobile devices (phones or broadband dongles) for UCC staff. Visit the Mobile Devices page for the answers to the following questions

1. Can I order a new / replacement mobile device?
2. Can I order a mobile broadband device?
3. What are the monthly data allowances under the UCC contract?
4. Will I be tied into a 24 month contract?

Mobile phones can be used as a 'hot spot' and tethered to a laptop to allow internet access using the phones data.

View our detailed instructions available for both Adroid Phones and iPhones.

In the event that the University is instructed to close due to the Covid19 Virus, the Finance Office has put in place measures to ensure it has the capability to continue to function remotely.  While some services may be limited, the Office will continue to pay staff and suppliers, process research funding claims and engage with students who may find it difficult to pay outstanding fee balances.

• All Payroll information should be sent electronically to payrollqueries@ucc.ie
• All Supplier Invoices with a valid purchase order (PO) number should be sent to invoice@ucc.ie
• All fees queries should be directed to Fees@ucc.ie
• All queries relating to Research Grants Claims should be directed to mcusack@ucc.ie

Remote Working Policy Aug 21

DES Circular- COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

11th August 2020

https://www.gov.ie/en/news/092fff-update-on-working-arrangements-and-leave-associated-with-covid-19-fo/ 

Guidance and FAQs for Public Service Employees during Covid 19

Information on academic teaching and learning including FAQs can be found on our Teaching Today in UCC webpage.

Guidance for Heads of Local Units is provided within our Local Unit FAQs on our Returning to Campus webpage.

Up-to-date information on research activity within UCC for both staff and students is provided on the Research Business Continuity Supports website.

Health Service Executive

Please follow advice published on the HSE website.

Seeking help

In office-hours: Contact your local GP

Out of Hours: Contact the GP Out of Hours services in your county or region:

Search for out of Hours GP services by county

Call 112 or 999 only in the case of a medical emergency

Managing anxiety: Tips for self-care

HSE Psychological Services advice on managing anxiety with tips on self-care:  hsecovid 

Crisis Text Line

Text 'UCC' to 086 1800 280 to chat anonymously with a trained volunteer 24/7.

Any Issue. Any time. (Standard SMS rates map apply)

UCC EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME

UCC's Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is provided by SPECTRUM.LIFE.  This is a confidential counselling service, providing support to employees, in addition to their spouse, civil partner or dependant, where the family member can be described as a person over the age of 18 and residing in the family home.

It is available 24/7, 365 days a year covering numerous topics such as; counselling, infertility & pregnancy loss, elder care support, parent coaching, international employee support, legal information, financial information and more. 

Email: eap@spectrum.life

Freephone: 1800 814 243

SMS: Text 'Hi' to 087 369 0010

WhatsApp: Text 'Hi' to 087 369 0010

Crisis Text Line

Text 'UCC' to 086 1800 280 to chat anonymously with a trained volunteer 24/7.

Any Issue. Any time. (Standard SMS rates map apply)

If a student displays symptoms in class then only that student needs to leave. They should wipe on and wipe off the area around them. There is no need to stop the teaching session.

If you develop symptoms you will need to self-isolate, get tested and follow HSE guidance. 

Ventilation “refers the movement of outdoor air into a building, and the circulation of that air within the building or room while removing stale air to improve the air quality” (Transitional Protocol: Good Practice Guidance for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19)

Ventilation is one of a suite of infection prevention and control measures which include hand-washing, mask wearing, respiratory etiquette, surface cleaning and physical distancing. Ensuring adequate levels of ventilation within university rooms reduces the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Naturally ventilated spaces are areas that are ventilated through the opening and closing of windows, window trickle vents, openable roof lights etc.

The ventilation rate in these spaces is dependent on the extent of the window openings as well as external conditions such as wind speed and direction.

For further information, please see the Building and Estates COVID-19 Ventilation Strategy and Risk Assessment which sets out ventilation considerations and forms part of the university's COVID-19 Infection Control measures. 

The Estates office have implemented the following steps with the objective of ensuring good indoor air quality in the centrally booked teaching rooms:

• Checked and repaired window openings where required to ensure windows can be easily opened and closed.
• Installed signage to inform room users to ventilate the space.
• Arranged for windows to be opened in centrally booked rooms at least 30 minutes before the first scheduled class.
• Installed CO₂ monitors to centrally monitor the internal room conditions. These can also be accessed by room occupants through the use of a QR code.

The Estates Office will take the appropriate measures required, if any, to further improve the air quality, based on the data collected and from occupant feedback.

Persons using these rooms can have a real positive influence on ensuring good air quality by:

• Actively managing the opening and closing of the windows to find the optimal level of fresh air and thermal comfort.
• Routinely check the CO₂ levels through the use of the QR code in place and adjust window openings as required.
• Before leaving the space ensure all windows and doors are open, if possible, to maximise the refreshing of the room with fresh air for the next room users.
• Provide feedback of your experience in the room and suggestions for improvement to the B&E office by contacting bereception@ucc.ie

Please close all windows at night, as there is a danger in a cold spell, of the LTHW Heating Pipes freezing, bursting, and possibly flooding the building.

CO₂ levels below 800 parts per million (ppm) indicate that the space is well ventilated.

• Should CO₂levels increase above 800 ppm then occupants should increase the opening on the windows which will have a positive impact on the room air quality.
• If CO₂levels increase above 1000 ppm then windows should be opened to the maximum and doors opened to encourage air flow through the space. Occupants can be confident that the CO₂ levels are reducing if they can feel the draft through the space.
• Check the monitor again after 20 minutes and if the reading is still above 1000 ppm the number of occupants at that time should be reduced or the activity in the room cease.
• Occupants should inform the B&E office of their experience by contacting bereception@ucc.ie

Persons using these rooms can have a real positive influence on ensuring good air quality by:

• Opening the windows first thing in the morning for 15 minutes and thereafter actively use the openable windows to promote ventilation.
• Dress appropriately to account for some thermal discomfort.
• Open windows during break times to maximise the refreshing of the space.

Please close all windows at night as there is a danger in a cold spell of the LTHW Heating Pipes freezing, bursting, and possibly floodding the building.

For low occupancy rooms  (i.e. 2-3 person offices) the practice of opening windows should provide sufficient ventilation to ensure good air quality.

In rooms with a significant number of people present it can be difficult to gauge how good the ventilation rate is. CO₂ monitoring devices are the accepted method of assessing ventilation in such rooms.

For these spaces Buildings and Estates are recommending a portable CO₂ sensor ( https://aranet.com/product/aranet4-sensor). This device can be used to assess the CO₂ levels across the rooms / spaces and learn how controlling occupancy levels and opening windows can influence the level of CO2.

Buildings and Estates have a number of these battery operated sensors in stock and are supplying one device free of charge to each school/function  so they can monitor the CO2 levels in these spaces. Further units can be supplied, depending on stock levels, at a cost of €250 per device. Please contact bereception@ucc.ie to request an ‘Aranet CO2 monitor’.

Should a school/function wish to have a permanent unit fitted in their naturally ventilated rooms / offices it is recommended to use  the Vision CO₂ monitor, a plug in device that is typically left in place and has a large display face. ( https://lennox.ie/co2-monitors/118864-vision-co2-monitor.html

The Estates Office can supply these units, depending on stock levels, at a cost of €150 per device. Please contact bereception@ucc.ie to request a ‘Vision CO2 monitor’

Mechanically ventilated spaces are areas where air is supplied to the room by mechanical means. Air supply is typically controlled centrally by Buildings and Estates. The amount of air supplied is known and will not vary from day-to day.

Further information is detailed in our Mechanical Ventilation FAQ

Please also see the Building and Estates COVID-19 Ventilation Strategy and Risk Assessment which sets out ventilation considerations and forms part of the University’s COVID-19 Infection Control measures.